Vikram and the Vampire, by Richard Burton
- He was playing upon a human skull with two shank bones
- He once more seized the Baital's hair
- During the three hours of return hardly a word passed between the pair
- Went up to her with polite salutations
- Having said this, he threw one of the sweetmeats to the dog
- Mounting their horses, followed the party
- He dismissed the palanquin-bearers
- He set out alone with his ill-gotten wealth
- The king, puffing with fury, followed him at the top of his speed, and caught him by his
tail
- In the meantime a traveller, a Rajput, by name Birbal
- The Baital disappeared through the darkness
- As, however, he passed through a back street
- After a few minutes the signal was answered
- The two then raised, by their united efforts, a heavy trap-door
- Treading with the foot of a tiger-cat
- The king was cunning at fence, and so was the thief
- Presently the demon was trussed up as usual
- Baman, the second suitor, tied up a bundle and followed
- Meanwhile Madhusadan, the third, became a Jogi
- The householder's wife came to serve up the food, rice and split peas
- Madhusadan proceeded to make his incantations, despite terrible sights in the air
- Vikram placed his bundle upon the ground, and seated himself cross-legged before it
- They tried to live without a monthly allowance, and notably they failed
- An edifying spectacle, indeed, for the world to see: a cross old man sitting amongst his
gallipots and crucibles
- The bone thereupon stood upright, and hopped about
- With a roar like thunder
- They prepared for their task
- But their eyes had met
- As they emerged upon the plain, they were attacked by the kiratas
- Then a horrid thought flashed across her mind ; she perceived her fatal mistake
- There he found the jogi
- As he bent down to salute the goddess
- Tailpiece