Having told this story the Vampire hung silent for a time. Presently he resumed——
"Now， heed my words， Raja Vikram！ I am about to ask thee， Which of all those learned men was the most finished fool？ The answer is easily found， yet it must be distasteful to thee. Therefore mortify thy vanity， as soon as possible， or I shall be talking， and thou wilt be walking through this livelong night， to scanty purpose. Remember！ science without understanding is of little use； indeed， understanding is superior to science， and those devoid of understanding perish as did the persons who revivified the tiger. Before this， I warned thee to beware of thyself， and of shine own conceit. Here， then， is an opportunity for self-discipline——which of all those learned men was the greatest fool？"
The warrior king mistook the kind of mortification imposed upon him， and pondered over the uncomfortable nature of the reply——in the presence of his son.
Again the Baital taunted him.
"The greatest fool of all，" at last said Vikram， in slow and by no means willing accents， "was the father. Is it not said， 'There is no fool like an old fool'？"
"Gramercy！" cried the Vampire， bursting out into a discordant laugh， "I now return to my tree. By this head！ I never before heard a father so readily condemn a father." With these words he disappeared， slipping out of the bundle.
The Raja scolded his son a little for want of obedience， and said that he had always thought more highly of his acuteness——never could have believed that he would have been taken in by so shallow a trick. Dharma Dhwaj answered not a word to this， but promised to be wiser another time.
Then they returned to the tree， and did what they had so often done before.
And， as before， the Baital held his tongue for a time. Presently he began as follows.
