And they assumed the shape of men of the Brâhman class, and going about, they saw a certain cowherd of those who live in the forest-region, who was sitting upon a grass-plot at the foot of a shady tree. He had shoes on his feet, and on his head he wore a garland, made of flowers and opening buds of forest-trees. His stick and his hatchet he had laid on the earth on his right. He was alone and occupied with twisting a rope, diverting himself meanwhile with singing and humming. Him they approached and imitating human voice[68], they said to him: 'Well, friend, thou who art charged with guarding the cows, how is it that staying thus alone in this lonely forest where no man is to be seen, thou are not afraid?' And he, looking at them, spoke: 'Of what should I be afraid?' The Yakshas said: 'Hast thou never before heard that such goblins as Yakshas, Râkshasas, or Pi_s_â_k_as are cruel by nature? [68] In the original the Yakshas utter some inarticulate sounds before succeeding in speaking Sanskrit. 7, 8. 'If men are in company and endowed with learning, penance, and svastyayana-charms,[69] even then, be they never so brave and contemptuous of fear, they will but narrowly escape those Râkshasas who feed on the flesh and fat of men. How, then, is it that thou art not afraid of them, thou who stayest without any comrade amidst these solitary, remote, and frightful forests?' [69] Viz. spells and charms, effective of bliss and happiness and obstructive of the contrary. On hearing this, the cowherd laughed heartily, and said to them: 9, 10. 'Well, the people of this country are protected by a mighty svastyayana, so that even the Lord of the Devas himself has no power over them, how much less the flesh-eating goblins. So it happens that I wander fearless through the wilderness as if I stayed at home, at night as if it were day, and alone as if I were in a crowd.' Upon this the Yakshas became very curious, and said to him respectfully, as if to encourage him: 'Why, you must tell us, gentle sir, you must tell us, of what kind this extraordinary svastyayana of yours is.' He answered them, laughing once more: 'Hear, then, of what kind this very wonderful excellent svastyayana of ours is. 11. 'It is he whose broad breast is equal to a plate of the Golden Mountain (Meru), he whose face displays the lovely beauty of the spotless moon in autumn, he whose long and full arms are like golden clubs, he who has the eyes of a bull and the gait of a bull. In short, it is our king. 'Of this kind our excellent svastyayana is.' And after saying these words, looking with resentment and astonishment in the face of the Yakshas, he continued: 'Ah! this is rather a wonder, is not it? 12. 'So renowned is the power of our king, and it has not come to your hearing! How has this happened? Or have you perhaps heard of it, but distrusting the excessive marvel of that fame, not minded it?