There he revived by his appearance the spirits of his friends, who were anxiously expecting him, as the arrival of the cloud revives the peacocks. And after he had told all the wonders of his adventures, Báhusálin went through the usual formalities of hospitality, taking him to his own home. There Srídatta was taken care of by the parents of Báhusálin, and lived with his friends as comfortably as if he were in his own house. Once on a time, when the great feast of spring-tide [131] had arrived, he went with his friends to behold some festal rejoicings in a garden. There he beheld a maiden, the daughter of king Bimbaki, who had come to see the show, looking like the goddess of the Splendour of Spring present in bodily form. She, by name Mrigánkavatí, that moment penetrated into his heart, as if through the openings left by the expansion of his eye. Her passionate look too, indicative of the beginning of love, fixed on him, went and returned like a confidante. When she entered a thicket of trees, Srídatta not beholding her, suddenly felt his heart so empty that he did not know where he was. His friend Báhusálin, who thoroughly understood the language of gestures, said to him, "My friend, I know your heart, do not deny your passion, therefore, come, let us go to that part of the garden where the king's daughter is." He consented and went near her accompanied by his friend. That moment a cry was heard there, which gave great pain to the heart of Srídatta, "Alas the princess has been bitten by a snake!" Báhusálin then went and said to the chamberlain--"My friend here possesses a ring that counteracts the effects of poison, and also healing spells." Immediately the chamberlain came, and bowing at his feet, quickly led Srídatta to the princess. He placed the ring on her finger, and then muttered his spells so that she revived. Then all the attendants were delighted, and loud in praise of Srídatta, and the king Bimbaki hearing the circumstances came to the place. Accordingly Srídatta returned with his friends to the house of Báhusálin without taking back the ring. And all the gold and other presents, which the delighted king sent to him there, he handed over to the father of Báhusálin. Then, thinking upon that fair one, he was so much afflicted, that his friends became utterly bewildered as to what to do with him. Then a dear friend of the princess, Bhávaniká, by name, came to him on pretence of returning the ring; and said to him, "That friend of mine, illustrious Sir, has made up her mind, that either you must save her life by becoming her husband, or she will be married to her grave." When Bhávaniká had said this, Srídatta and Báhusálin and the others quickly put their heads together and came to the following resolution, "We will carry off this princess secretly by a stratagem, and will go unperceived from here to Mathurá and live there." The plan having been thoroughly talked over, and the conspirators having