He approached four slender coursers--fit, and powerful for the road, Blending mighty strength with fleetness--high in courage and in blood; Free from all the well-known vices--broad of nostril--large of jaw; With the ten good marks distinguished[119]--born in Sindhu[120]--fleet as wind. As he gazed upon those coursers--spoke the king, almost in wrath: "Is then thus fulfilled our mandate?--think not to deceive us so. How will these my coursers bear us--slight in strength and slightly breathed-- How can such a way be travelled--and so long, by steeds like these?"-- VAHUCA _spake_. "Two on th' head, one on the forehead--two and two on either flank-- Two, behold, the chest discloses--and upon the crupper one-- These the horses to Vidharba--that will bear us, doubt not thou; Yet, if others thou preferest--speak, and I will yoke them straight." RITUPARNA _spake_. "In the knowledge thou of horses--Vahuca, hast matchless skill; Whichso'er thou think'st the fittest--harness thou without delay." * * * * * Then those four excelling horses--nobly bred--of courage high, In their harness to the chariot--did the skilful Nala yoke.-- To the chariot yoked, as mounted--in his eager haste the king To the earth those best of horses--bowed their knees and stooped them down. Then the noblest of all heroes--Nala, with a soothing voice, Spake unto those horses, gifted--both with fleetness and with strength. Up the reins when he had gathered--he the charioteer bade mount, First, Varshneya, skilled in driving--at full speed then set he forth. Urged by Vahuca, those coursers--to the utmost of their speed, All at once in th' air sprung upward--as the driver to unseat. Then, as he beheld those horses--bearing him as fleet as wind, Did the monarch of Ayodhya--in his silent wonder sit. When the rattling of the chariot--when the guiding of the reins, When of Vahuca the science--saw he, thus Varshneya thought: "Is it Matali,[121] the chariot--of the king of heaven that drives? Lo, in Vahuca each virtue--of that godlike charioteer! Is it Salihotra skilful--in the race, the strength of steeds, That hath ta'en a human body--thus all-glorious to behold? Is't, or can it be, king Nala--conqueror of his foemen's realms? Is the lord of men before us?"--thus within himself he thought. "If the skill possessed by Nala--Vahuca possesseth too, Lo, of Vahuca the knowledge--and of Nala equal seems; And of Vahuca and Nala--thus alike the age should be. If 'tis not the noble Nala--it is one of equal skill. Mighty ones, disguised, are wandering--in the precincts of this earth. They, divine by inborn nature--but in earthly forms concealed. His deformity of body--that my judgment still confounds; Yet that proof alone is wanting--what shall then my judgment be?