CLOSELY GUARDED

Having spoken those words, she was silent.

"Is that so?" said Raavana. "Very well then, I shall give you twelve months' time. If you agree to accept me, well and good. If at the end of that period, you refuse, my cooks will make meat of your body for my breakfast."

After warning Seeta thus, he gave orders to the attendant Raakshasis: "You should break her pride and obstinacy by some means or other. Put her alone in the Asoka garden and skilfully use fear and temptation to bring her to her senses. As we tame a wild she elephant, you should train her to submission." And angrily he went to his palace.

The Raakshasis took Seeta to the Asoka garden. It was a beautiful park attached to the women's apartments. The trees were full of flowers and fruits, and beautiful birds played among them. Here, surrounded and guarded by terribly ugly Raakshasis, Seeta was kept prisoner.

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