* THE HINDOO MYTHOLOGY.
was entitled to become the king of the gods 5 but as; the
time of the then reigning Indra was not expired, the latter
applied for relief to Vishnoo, who promised to destroy this
giant: to accomplish which he caused himself to be born of
tJ'ditee, the wife of Kushyupii, the moonee. Being exceed-
ingly small in his person, he obtained the name of Vamunu,
i. e. the dwarf. At a certain period king Bulee was making
a great sacrifice, and Vamunu's parents, being very poor>
sent him to ask a gift of the king. It is customary, at a
festival, to present gifts to bramhuns. Vamunu was so
small, that in his journey to the place of sacrifice, when
he got to the side of a hole made by a cow's foot, and
which was filled with water, he thought it was a river, and
entreated another bramhun to help him over it. On Ms
arrival, he went to ask a gift of Bulee. The king was so
pleased with him, on account of his diminutive form, that
he promised to give him whatever he should ask. He peti-'
tioned only for as much land as he could measure by three
steps. Bulee pressed him to ask for more, intimating that
such a quantity was nothing; but Vamunu persisted, and
the king ordered his priest to read the usual formulas in
making such a present. The priest warned the king,
declaring he would repent of making this gift; for the little
bramhun was no other than Vishnoo himself, who would
deprive him of all he had. The king, however, was deter ^
mined to fulfil his promise, and the grant was made. Vam-
unu then pjaced one foot on Indru's heaven, and the other
on the earth, when, lo 1 a third leg suddenly projected
from his belly, and he asked for a place upon which he might
rest this third foot. Bulee, having nothing left, and being
unable to fulfil his promise, was full of anxiety. His wife,
Tiaving heard what was going forward, came to the spot,
and, seeing the king's perplexity, advised him to give his
head for Vamiinu to set his foot upon. He did so; but
Vamunu then asked for what is called dukshinu, a small
was entitled to become the king of the gods 5 but as; the
time of the then reigning Indra was not expired, the latter
applied for relief to Vishnoo, who promised to destroy this
giant: to accomplish which he caused himself to be born of
tJ'ditee, the wife of Kushyupii, the moonee. Being exceed-
ingly small in his person, he obtained the name of Vamunu,
i. e. the dwarf. At a certain period king Bulee was making
a great sacrifice, and Vamunu's parents, being very poor>
sent him to ask a gift of the king. It is customary, at a
festival, to present gifts to bramhuns. Vamunu was so
small, that in his journey to the place of sacrifice, when
he got to the side of a hole made by a cow's foot, and
which was filled with water, he thought it was a river, and
entreated another bramhun to help him over it. On Ms
arrival, he went to ask a gift of Bulee. The king was so
pleased with him, on account of his diminutive form, that
he promised to give him whatever he should ask. He peti-'
tioned only for as much land as he could measure by three
steps. Bulee pressed him to ask for more, intimating that
such a quantity was nothing; but Vamunu persisted, and
the king ordered his priest to read the usual formulas in
making such a present. The priest warned the king,
declaring he would repent of making this gift; for the little
bramhun was no other than Vishnoo himself, who would
deprive him of all he had. The king, however, was deter ^
mined to fulfil his promise, and the grant was made. Vam-
unu then pjaced one foot on Indru's heaven, and the other
on the earth, when, lo 1 a third leg suddenly projected
from his belly, and he asked for a place upon which he might
rest this third foot. Bulee, having nothing left, and being
unable to fulfil his promise, was full of anxiety. His wife,
Tiaving heard what was going forward, came to the spot,
and, seeing the king's perplexity, advised him to give his
head for Vamiinu to set his foot upon. He did so; but
Vamunu then asked for what is called dukshinu, a small