One night Madanasundari had been jealous when the king spent time with his other wives and the king made up with her after talking and cajoling her.
After that, the king then went to sleep with Madanasundari beside him.
The king had a very strange dream that night.
The king dreamt that his necklace had suddenly disappeared and after that a deformed woman grabbed his crest jewel from his head. The king dreamt that a Vetala - a goblin, formed of limbs from many animals fought him and threw him on the ground. After that the king dreamt that he had gained the upper hand in the fight with the Vetala, but still the goblin flew up in the air and threw the king into the sea. In his dreams when the king struggled and reached the shores, he found that he had his necklace and his jewel-crest back.
The king woke up suddenly from the dream and was disturbed. He wondered what the dream meant.
There was a mendicant who came to see the king and the king went to the man and asked him about the meaning of his dream.
The mendicant told him the meaning of the dream and the king was even more worried after that.
He was restless in his bed and that was when he saw a woman come into his room.
The woman looked gentle and the king studied her wondering who she was.
The woman smiled at the king. “I am Ratnaprabha. I am the daughter of Vasuki, who is the king of snakes and I am your father’s elder sister.”
The king bowed to her.
Ratnaprabha immediately realized that the king was worried and asked the king the reason for his worry.
The king told her everything.
Adapted from the Katha Sarith Sagara
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