CHAPTER XLIX.                             n

in relating the chronological succession of their kings,
and when they are pressed for information and are
at a loss, not knowing what to say, they invariably
take to tale-telling. But for this, we should com¬
municate to the reader the traditions which we have
received from some people among them. I have
been told that the pedigree of this royal family,
written on silk, exists in the fortress Nagarkot,
and I much desired to make myself acquainted
with it, but the thing was impossible for various
reasons.

One of this series of kinafs was Kanik, the same who The story of

.     .                               Kanik.

is said to have built the vihdra (Buddhistic monastery)
of Purushavar. It is called, after him, Kanik-caitya.
People relate that the king of Kanoj had presented to
him, among other gifts, a gorgeous and most singular
piece of cloth. Now Kanik wanted to have dresses
made out of it for himself, but his tailor had not the
courage to make them, for he said, "There is (in the
embroidery) the figure of a human foot, and whatever
trouble I may take, the foot will always lie between the
shoulders." And that means the same as we have
already mentioned in the story of Bali, the son of
Virocana {i.e. a sign of subjugation, cf. i. p. 397). Now
Kanik felt convinced that the ruler of Kanoj had
thereby intended to vilify and disgrace him, and in
hot haste he set out with his troops marching against
him.

When the rdi heard this, he was greatly perplexed,
for he had no power to resist Kanik. Therefore he
consulted his Vazir, and the latter said: "You have
roused a man who was quiet before, and have done un¬
becoming things. Now cut off my nose and lips, let
me be mutilated, that I may find a cunning device ; for
there is no possibility of an open resistance." The rdi
did with him as he had proposed, and then he went off
to the frontiers of the realm.