--- title: A Sleep and a Dream., part 6 — The descent of the sun: A cycle of birth · full text with trees · page 2 description: A Sleep and a Dream., part 6, «The descent of the sun: A cycle of birth» by Unknown: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: Then she stood up, and pushed him back, so violently, that he nearly fell. --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg68641/8/page/2/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/) / [The descent of the sun: A cycle of birth](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg68641/) / A Sleep and a Dream., part 6 # A Sleep and a Dream., part 6 · page 2 [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg68641/8/) **2** \[1\] There is here an untranslateable play on the word mriga-trishná, 'the thirst of the antelope,' i.e. the mirage of the desert, to which he compares her eyes.[58](../../58/ "tree and pragmatics") \[2\] i.e. the Himálaya mountain, of which, or rather whom, Párwati is the daughter, as her name signifies.[59](../../59/ "tree and pragmatics") \[3\] The Hindoos never had a Lucian, to laugh at their mythological contradictions.[60](../../60/ "tree and pragmatics") They were always too much under the spell.[61](../../61/ "tree and pragmatics") XII.[62](../../62/ "tree and pragmatics") The Other Body[63](../../63/ "tree and pragmatics") But in the meanwhile Shrí\[1\], when she abandoned the body in Indirálayá, flew in the twinkling of an eye to the Land of the Lotus of the Sun. And there she entered that other body, lying in a couch in the Palace hall.[64](../../64/ "tree and pragmatics") Then instantly she opened her eyes, and rose up, as if awaking from a dream.[65](../../65/ "tree and pragmatics") And she was filled with astonishment, terror, and dismay, when she found herself alone in the empty hall.[66](../../66/ "tree and pragmatics") And she exclaimed: Alas! what is this mystery, and how came I into this deserted hall, and in which quarter of the world am I, and what has become of my husband?[67](../../67/ "tree and pragmatics") Now do I see the terrible consequences of sins committed in a former birth.[68](../../68/ "tree and pragmatics") Alas! how am I to regain him, and where is he to be found?[69](../../69/ "tree and pragmatics") Surely we are like two tiny fishes in the infinite ocean of time.[70](../../70/ "tree and pragmatics") Yet even so, despair is unavailing.[71](../../71/ "tree and pragmatics") Did not Sítá recover Ráma, and Shakuntalá, Dushyanta, and Damayanti cross the ocean of separation, and repose on the shore in the shape of the embraces of Nala?[72](../../72/ "tree and pragmatics") Truly omnipotent is the power of love, and what love was ever greater than mine?[73](../../73/ "tree and pragmatics") For it passes on from body to body, and draws fresh fire from each new birth.[74](../../74/ "tree and pragmatics") Then she dressed herself in the white pall\[2\], and went hastily out of that empty palace, shrinking like a fawn at the echo of her own footsteps, and passed out of the gates, and ran through the deserted streets, down to the very edge of the sea.[75](../../75/ "tree and pragmatics") And there she stood with her bare feet lapped by the waves, looking out eagerly over the sea, with eyes that laughed at and shamed it of its blue.[76](../../76/ "tree and pragmatics") And it rose in agitation at her beauty, as if stirred by the moon, while the wind kissed her unaware, and played with her hair and clothes.[77](../../77/ "tree and pragmatics") Then she said: O Ocean, art thou too parted from someone, that thou heavest long drawn sighs?[78](../../78/ "tree and pragmatics") Art thou also wrenched with grief, that thou sprinklest me with the salt tears of thy spray?[79](../../79/ "tree and pragmatics") And as she gazed, there appeared tossing on the waves a ship, like the realization of her desire to cross the ocean in visible form.[80](../../80/ "tree and pragmatics") Now that ship belonged to a great merchant captain, who was returning home from a trading voyage.[81](../../81/ "tree and pragmatics") And when he saw a female figure standing alone on the shore, he came quickly in a boat to take her captive.[82](../../82/ "tree and pragmatics") But when he got to the shore, and saw the wonderful beauty of her dark blue eyes and snow white raiment, he was struck with wonder, and became afraid.[83](../../83/ "tree and pragmatics") And he said to her in awe: Surely thou art some divinity, and no mere mortal maiden.[84](../../84/ "tree and pragmatics") Tell me thy name, that I may know whom to adore.[85](../../85/ "tree and pragmatics") Then said Shrí: Sir, I am no divinity, but a king's daughter; and I am seeking for my husband.[86](../../86/ "tree and pragmatics") Carry me, of your kindness, over the sea, for I must find my way to Indirálayá.[87](../../87/ "tree and pragmatics") But hearing this, that merchant was overjoyed; for he thought: Indirálayá is in another quarter of the world, and I will be her husband.[88](../../88/ "tree and pragmatics") For he was drowned in the ocean of her eyes.[89](../../89/ "tree and pragmatics") So he said to her: O thou true daughter of a King, my ship is thine and all that it contains.[90](../../90/ "tree and pragmatics") Come now, and I will carry thee whithersoever thou wilt.[91](../../91/ "tree and pragmatics") So Shrí consented.[92](../../92/ "tree and pragmatics") And the merchant in his delight counted the whole world as a straw, thinking he had got her for a wife.[93](../../93/ "tree and pragmatics") So when he got to the ship, he said to her: Truly this husband of thine is a sorry rascal.[94](../../94/ "tree and pragmatics") Out upon him, who could leave such an incomparable beauty as thine to roam about the world without him\![95](../../95/ "tree and pragmatics") Forget him now, for I will be thy husband.[96](../../96/ "tree and pragmatics") Then said Shrí: This is impiety, nor is my husband to blame in this matter.[97](../../97/ "tree and pragmatics") Know, too, that to a good wife her husband is a deity.[98](../../98/ "tree and pragmatics") Then said the merchant: Thou shalt marry me whether thou wilt or not: and I care nothing for piety or impiety, but only for thy wonderful eyes.[99](../../99/ "tree and pragmatics") And now I have thee, I will keep thee.[100](../../100/ "tree and pragmatics") So he carried her in his ship, very carefully, closely guarded, to his own city, and shut her in an upper chamber of his house, hoping to prevail on her in course of time, neglecting his affairs.[101](../../101/ "tree and pragmatics") Then Shrí said to herself: Alas for my beauty, which is a curse and no blessing to me, in that it has placed me in the power of this headstrong merchant\![102](../../102/ "tree and pragmatics") Nevertheless, even so, I have got over the sea.[103](../../103/ "tree and pragmatics") And now, I must lose no time in escaping from this infatuated sinner, or worse things may come about.[104](../../104/ "tree and pragmatics") And she went to the window and looked out.[105](../../105/ "tree and pragmatics") Now by the ordinance of fate it so happened, that at that moment the King of that city was passing by on his elephant.[106](../../106/ "tree and pragmatics") So when she saw it, Shrí said to herself: There is my deliverance in the form of an elephant.[107](../../107/ "tree and pragmatics") And now I must sin a little, to save myself from greater guilt.[108](../../108/ "tree and pragmatics") Then she called to the \_mahout\_: Come nearer, O driver of the elephant: for I am anxious to taste the delight of riding on an elephant.[109](../../109/ "tree and pragmatics") And hearing this, the mahout looked at the King.[110](../../110/ "tree and pragmatics") And the King looked at the face of Shrí.[111](../../111/ "tree and pragmatics") And Shrí shot at the King a blue glance from her eye.[112](../../112/ "tree and pragmatics") And instantly the King lost his senses, and said to the \_mahout\_: Do as she bids thee.[113](../../113/ "tree and pragmatics") So the \_mahout\_ brought the elephant under the window, and Shrí let herself fall from the window on to his back.[114](../../114/ "tree and pragmatics") And she caught hold of the King to save herself from falling, and the King almost fainted from excess of joy, and the nectar of her touch.[115](../../115/ "tree and pragmatics") And without losing a moment, he carried her off to his palace, as delighted as if he had conquered the whole earth.[116](../../116/ "tree and pragmatics") But the merchant, when he found that she had gone, abandoned the body in his despair.[117](../../117/ "tree and pragmatics") Then as soon as they reached the palace, the King said to Shrí: What is thy name and family?[118](../../118/ "tree and pragmatics") Shrí said: I am a King's daughter from a far country, and my name is Shrí.[119](../../119/ "tree and pragmatics") Then said the King: Thou didst well to forsake that miserable trader for me.[120](../../120/ "tree and pragmatics") Should the lioness, forsooth! mate with the jackal?[121](../../121/ "tree and pragmatics") And now will I place thee, like a choice jewel, in the centre of my diadem, and thou shall be the very apex of the summit of my fortune\[3\].[122](../../122/ "tree and pragmatics") Then said Shrí: King, do not speak thus.[123](../../123/ "tree and pragmatics") For I am the wife of another.[124](../../124/ "tree and pragmatics") And I fled to thee for refuge, and not for frivolity: for yonder merchant would have made me his wife by force.[125](../../125/ "tree and pragmatics") So do me justice, and let me go: for I may not be a wife to thee.[126](../../126/ "tree and pragmatics") [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg68641/8/) **2** - ← previous: [page 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg68641/8/) - next →: [A Sleep and a Dream., part 7](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg68641/9/) - ↑ back to [The descent of the sun: A cycle of birth](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg68641/)