your friend?" Then I said--"Long ago the heads of the police as they went through the city night after night on inspecting duty, perished one by one. On hearing that, Yogananda made me head of the police, and as I was on my rounds at night, I saw a Rákshasa roaming about, and he said to me, "Tell me, who is considered the best-looking woman in this city?" When I heard that, I burst out laughing and said--"You fool, any woman is good-looking to the man who admires her." Hearing my answer, he said--"You are the only man that has beaten me." And now that I had escaped death by solving his riddle, [66] he again said to me, "I am pleased with you, henceforth you are my friend, and I will appear to you when you call me to mind." Thus he spoke and disappeared, and I returned by the way that I came. Thus the Rákshasa has become my friend, and my ally in trouble. When I had said this, Sakatála made a second request to me, and I shewed him the goddess of the Ganges in human form who came when I thought of her. And that goddess disappeared when she had been gratified by me with hymns of praise. But Sakatála became from thenceforth my obedient ally. Now once on a time that minister said to me when my state of concealment weighed upon my spirits; "why do you, although you know all things, abandon yourself to despondency? Do you not know that the minds of kings are most undiscerning, and in a short time you will be cleared from all imputations; [67] in proof of which listen to the following tale:-- The story of Sivavarman.