--- title: A Sleep and a Dream., part 7 — The descent of the sun: A cycle of birth · full text with trees · page 2 description: A Sleep and a Dream., part 7, «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 said the King: Thy dark blue eyes have utterly destroyed my sense of right and wrong, which are now mere words without meani --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg68641/9/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 7 # A Sleep and a Dream., part 7 · page 2 [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg68641/9/) **2** Then one laid hands upon her, and then another, till she was nearly torn in pieces.[61](../../61/ "tree and pragmatics") And finally they came to blows, and fought for her over her body, filled by the frenzy begotten by her beauty, and the desire of exclusive possession\[2\].[62](../../62/ "tree and pragmatics") And very soon they were all either dead or dying of wounds, for each was more eager to destroy another than to protect himself: and they lay all about her unable to move.[63](../../63/ "tree and pragmatics") Then Shrí, seizing her opportunity, and urged by terror, rose up and fled away from them, being sprinkled by their blood, mingled with her own, for she had received in the struggle a blow from a Bhilla that was meant for another.[64](../../64/ "tree and pragmatics") And she ran on, stumbling over roots and creepers in her haste, till she came at last to a forest pool.[65](../../65/ "tree and pragmatics") And there she lay down at the edge of the water and drank greedily; and afterwards washed her wound and stains, and bathed her feet, and overcome by weariness, fell asleep.[66](../../66/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the moon rose, and stole through the trees and kissed her with beams that trembled with admiration\[3\]; and the wild animals came down, one by one, to drink at the pool, and obedient to the commands of Triambaka, did her no harm, but licked her feet and hands as she lay.[67](../../67/ "tree and pragmatics") Now, as fate would have it, this was the very pool, at which Umra-Singh had met with Ulupí, the daughter of the Daitya.[68](../../68/ "tree and pragmatics") And in course of the night, Ulupí came herself to the pool, to dance and sport according to her wont.[69](../../69/ "tree and pragmatics") And when she arrived, she saw Shrí, lying asleep by the pool.[70](../../70/ "tree and pragmatics") So she came and stood over her, and marvelled at the beauty of her limbs, even though her eyes were shut.[71](../../71/ "tree and pragmatics") And at last, out of curiosity, she touched her on the bosom with her finger, saying to herself: Is this an illusion, or is it a real woman, and is she dead or alive?[72](../../72/ "tree and pragmatics") But Shrí shuddered at her touch, for it suggested evil to her sleeping soul.[73](../../73/ "tree and pragmatics") And she opened her eyes, and their deep blue awoke the envy of the daughter of the Daitya, and astonished her even more than before.[74](../../74/ "tree and pragmatics") Then they looked at each other, like light and darkness, and each wondered at the loveliness of the other, forgetful of her own.[75](../../75/ "tree and pragmatics") And at last Ulupí said: Who art thou, and what is thy name and family, and whence hast thou come to my pool, and why?[76](../../76/ "tree and pragmatics") Shrí said: I am a King's daughter, looking for my husband, whom I lost, by the operation of crimes in a former birth, at the very moment that I found him again, after that he had returned to me from the Land of the Lotus of the Sun. But when Ulupí heard her, she was filled with sudden rage and malice.[77](../../77/ "tree and pragmatics") And she said to herself: Ha! so this is that absent lotus of the day, by reason of whom my beauty was scorned, and set at nought by the handsome stranger who saw me dancing by my pool.[78](../../78/ "tree and pragmatics") And instantly she started up, and assuming a terrific form, she gnashed at Shrí with teeth like saws, and made horrible grimaces at her, saying: Wretch, thou shalt never quit this wood, but wander for ever with thy accursed beauty among its trees, haunted and beset by hideous illusions till thou shalt long for death.[79](../../79/ "tree and pragmatics") Let thy absent husband save thee if he can.[80](../../80/ "tree and pragmatics") And she vanished with a peal of laughter, leaving Shrí fainting by the pool.[81](../../81/ "tree and pragmatics") But Ulupí flew through the wood, and found Nightwalker, the old Wairágí, and told him all, and begged of him a boon, saying: Torment this miserable mortal woman, and deceive her with illusions for she has done me deadly injury.[82](../../82/ "tree and pragmatics") And Nightwalker rejoiced at the opportunity, for he remembered how Umra-Singh had defied him, and cut off his tongue in the wood.[83](../../83/ "tree and pragmatics") But he said: This is no easy matter, for we are forbidden by Pashupati to do her harm.[84](../../84/ "tree and pragmatics") But though I will do her no injury, I will delude this wandering wife of a vile husband, till she will desire to abandon the body of her own accord.[85](../../85/ "tree and pragmatics") \[1\] See note, p. 9.[86](../../86/ "tree and pragmatics") \[2\] ahamahamiká, 'each one saying I, I.'[87](../../87/ "tree and pragmatics") \[3\] The Moon proper, in Sanskrit, is \_Lunus\_, not \_Luna\_.[88](../../88/ "tree and pragmatics") XIV.[89](../../89/ "tree and pragmatics") Illusion[90](../../90/ "tree and pragmatics") But Shrí, when she came to herself, sat weeping, and fearing for herself in the future: for she foreboded evil from the malicious pranks of the daughter of the Daitya.[91](../../91/ "tree and pragmatics") And yet she could not tell, how she could possibly have offended her, or deserved her anger.[92](../../92/ "tree and pragmatics") And as soon as day broke, she rose up, and began to go trembling through the wood, in which the shadows of night still hung among the trees, starting at the noise of the falling leaves, and yearning for emancipation from danger in the form of her husband's presence.[93](../../93/ "tree and pragmatics") Then after a while, she stopped and listened: for she heard among the trees steps, as of one coming in her direction.[94](../../94/ "tree and pragmatics") And her heart beat violently, as if to say: Let me abandon thy body, and so escape the danger coming on thee.[95](../../95/ "tree and pragmatics") So she hid herself in a hollow tree, and peeped out in terror.[96](../../96/ "tree and pragmatics") And suddenly, strange! there in the dim twilight she saw her husband coming towards her, looking just as he did, when she left him in the palace at Indirálayá.[97](../../97/ "tree and pragmatics") And instantly she ran towards him, overcome by emotion and great surprise, and caught him in her arms, exclaiming: At last, at last, I have found thee again.[98](../../98/ "tree and pragmatics") And she wept aloud, and forgot in that moment all her sorrow; and she looked at him, and laughed for joy, and closed her eyes, as if, like the sun, the sight of him dimmed and overcame the faculty of vision.[99](../../99/ "tree and pragmatics") Then after a while, she opened them again, and started and shrieked, and her blood became ice, and her heart stopped.[100](../../100/ "tree and pragmatics") For he that held her in his arms was not her husband, but a hairy thing with hideous eyes, that resembled an incarnation of the brute in human shape; and it fastened those fearful eyes upon her own, and laughed and whined and panted like a beast with hot quick breath into her face.[101](../../101/ "tree and pragmatics") Then her senses abandoned her, like cowards, and she sank down to the earth in a swoon.[102](../../102/ "tree and pragmatics") And when at length she revived, she looked, and saw that the sun was declining in the western quarter.[103](../../103/ "tree and pragmatics") But the moon had not yet risen, for it was the beginning of the dark half of the month.[104](../../104/ "tree and pragmatics") Then all at once memory came back to her, and she shook with agitation.[105](../../105/ "tree and pragmatics") And she said to herself: Was it a reality, or was it only an evil dream?[106](../../106/ "tree and pragmatics") Surely it was but a dream; for I am very weak and tired.[107](../../107/ "tree and pragmatics") And even now I cannot tell, whether I wake or sleep.[108](../../108/ "tree and pragmatics") [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg68641/9/) **2** - ← previous: [page 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg68641/9/) - next →: [A Sleep and a Dream., part 8](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg68641/10/) - ↑ back to [The descent of the sun: A cycle of birth](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg68641/)