And while the king was rambling there, he
perceived a sweet scent coming from an unknown direction. And the monarch,
impelled by the desire of ascertaining the cause, wandered hither and
thither. And in course of his ramble, he beheld a black-eyed maiden of
celestial beauty, the daughter of a fisherman. The king addressing her,
said, 'Who art thou, and whose daughter? What dost thou do here, O timid
one?' She answered, 'Blest be thou! I am the daughter of the chief of the
fishermen. At his command, I am engaged for religious merit, in rowing
passengers across this river in my boat.' And Santanu, beholding that
maiden of celestial form endued with beauty, amiableness, and such
fragrance, desired her for his wife. And repairing unto her father, the
king solicited his consent to the proposed match. But the chief of the
fishermen replied to the monarch, saying, 'O king, as soon as my daughter
of superior complexion was born, it was of course, understood that she
should be bestowed upon a husband. But listen to the desire I have
cherished all along in my heart. O sinless one, thou art truthful: if thou
desirest to obtain this maiden as a gift from me, give, me then this
pledge. If, indeed, thou givest the pledge, I will of course bestow my
daughter upon thee for truly I can never obtain a husband for her equal to
thee.'
"Santanu, hearing this, replied, 'When I have heard of the pledge thou
askest, I shall then say whether I would be able to grant it.
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