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But the Son of the Wind has followed her, puzzled as to what she is doing. Now he leaps into the tree and unties the cord so that Nang Seeda falls unconscious to the ground. As she recovers her senses, Hanuman prostrates himself at her feet, saying as he does so, "Look, I know I deserve all kinds of punishment for thwarting the will of the queen, but the fact of the matter is Phra Ram has given me a message to deliver to you and in the circumstances I don't see what else I could have done. One way and another I should have been in trouble, so I hope you'll excuse me for interfering." And still grumbling, he hands her the tokens and delivers his message as best he can. Nang Seeda is by no means convinced that the tokens come from Phra Ram. "I have only your word you are one of Phra Narai's soldiers," she tells Hanuman. "But I don't recognize you, and these tokens could have been found by anyone. I'm afraid you are one of Totsagan's brood, saving me for your master's evil ends." This is just what the shrewd monkey has been expecting her to say, so now he repeats Phra Ram's description of his first meeting with Seeda in Mitila town. Hearing it, Seeda is convinced and weeps. Hanuman's embassy is now completed, but before leaving he urges Nang Seeda to accompany him. She refuses. "It is ordained that Phra Ram must first slay the demons; then we shall be reunited. Tell him what I have said. And tell him that my love will wait for him." And having said this, Nang Seeda returns sadly to her pavilion. |
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