When the dawn appeared, The King and prince together started forth, Escorted by a band of hunters tried, And beat the woods for game. The King and prince And all their following made rapid work. The game took flight. The King then drew his bow And many animals were killed. A deer Came running by. His arrow struck him full Upon the shoulder, and the huntsmen seized And quickly killed him. In the pathless woods Of Nousa Antara there was much game. A tiger roared, the King and prince pursued. The tiger swiftly fled. The prince sat down Within the forest deep. To overtake The beast he was unable. To return He sought, but could not find the way. Alone He was, and in perplexity, because His huntsmen he no longer could descry. Then, wandering to and fro, he found at last A pleasure garden of the days gone by, Belonging to King Lila, beautiful And without flaw. He was astonished quite When he perceived a palace. All alone He found himself, when he had entered there. He walked about, but found no living soul. Unto himself he said: "Can this domain A habitation be of demons dread And spirits? Can this be the cause of all The solitude which reigns?" On all sides then He looked. All suddenly a voice he heard, But still no one could see. Amazed he stood. The mystic voice exclaimed, "Have pity, lord, And free me from this room." As in a dream The prince these accents heard. He answered then: "Who art thou? Whose strange voice is this I hear, The while I no one see? Dost thou belong Unto the race of demons and of spectres? Where is the key, that I may ope the door?" Then the _dyang_ of Mendoudari said Unto the prince: "Look toward the left, for there The key thou'lt find that opes the palace tower." He took the key and opened wide the door. All those who were within, when they beheld The prince's face, fell prostrate at his feet. To them the prince cried out: "Say to what race Ye do belong. This quickly tell. And whose This palace beautiful?" Then answered him Dang Tjindra Melini: "O Royal prince, We are God's creatures, like to thee. And this Fair palace of the King Lila is now By Ifrid occupied, a spirit-king, With whom now lives the prince illustrious, Lila. His daughter, Princess Mendoudari, Is shut alone within a chamber here, And Ifrid, king of spirits, cometh oft. On every third day cometh he. His eyes Are brilliant as the sun." When this he heard The prince was glad. The room he entered then. The Princess Mendoudari sought to flee. "Where wouldst thou go, my friend," he said. "I've sought And found thee. Do not flee away from me." The Princess Mendoudari said with tears: "And art thou mad enough hither to come? The spirits will destroy thee without doubt." These words rejoiced the prince, and to her then He sang a low sweet song of love and wooing. The princess answered with a dreamy chant.