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Then the fight began. The two combatants attacked each other so furiously that they raised such a cloud of dust as to completely conceal them from the onlookers. The elephant could riot long sustain the unequal combat, and when he was beaten, Gumda seized him by the trunk, and threw him over the seas. Owing to the darkness caused by the clouds of dust, none of the thousands present noticed the elephant as he went, flying over their heads high up in the air.

When the dust subsided, Gumda was found sitting alone, the elephant was nowhere to be seen. The raja called the victor to him, and said,“ What have you done with the ele-phant ?” Gumda replied “I flung him early in the forenoon over seven seas.” Hearing his answer and not seeing the elephant, they all marvelled greatly.

The raja then said to Gumda, “Well, you have thrown the elephant somewhere. You must now go in search of its bones.” Gumda went home and said to his mother, “Make up a parcel of food for me, I am going to find the elephant’s bones.” She complied with his request and he set out.

As he hurried along intent upon his quest, he found a man fishing with a Palmyra palm tree as a rod, and a full grown elephant asa bait. On seeing him Gumda exclaimed, “You are indeed a preat hero.” The man replied, “I am no hero, the widow’s son Gumda is the great hero, for did not he fling the raja’s elephant across seven seas ?” ee said, “I am he.” The fisherman said,“I will go with you.” Gumda replied, “Come along.!’

As Guimda and his attendant went on their way, they came toa field in which a number of men were hoeing, and their master, to shield them from the heat of the sun, stood holding over them, as an umbrella, a large Pepul tree.* Gumda seeing him

• Ficus religiosa, Willd. one of the hugest of India’s many huge trees.