Believe me, no good ever came of flight. We will rout the enemy and recover your cows. You will have all the glory." With these words Arjuna lifted the prince on to the chariot and, putting the reins in his hands, asked him to drive to wards a tree near the burial ground.

Drona, who was watching all this intently, knew that the fantastically dressed charioteer was Arjuna and shared his knowledge with Bhishma.

Duryodhana turned to Karna and said: "Why should we worry who he is? Even if he is Arjuna, he will be only playing into our hands, for his being discovered will send the Pandavas to the forest for another twelve years."

As soonas they came near the tree Brihan- nala bade the prince get down, climb the tree and take down the arms hidden there. The prince said in alarm and grief: "People say that what hangs on this tree is the corpse of an old huntress. How can I touch a dead body? How can you ask me to do such a thing?"