THE SLAYING OF VAALI

Sugreeva retorted angrily and the battle began. Fierce with remembered wrongs and keyed up above himself by the certainty of Raama's help, Sugreeva maintained for long an equal combat, but presently Vaali's greater might began to prevail and Sugreeva was in such obvious distress that Raama who was watching with ready bow knew he could not hold out much longer.

It was now or never and placing a deadly arrow on the string and pulling it to his ear, Raama sped it at Vaali's mighty chest. Pierced by that irresistible shaft Vaali crashed down as falls a great forest tree cut asunder by the woodman's axe and lay stretched on the ground empurpled with blood as lies the festival flag-staff pulled down when the festival is ended.

Even so, he was radiantly handsome, his noble figure shining like a cloud lit up by the setting sun. The divine necklace given to him by Indra shone on his breast, which guarded his life and fortune. This jewel, Raama's dart, the bleeding wound, all added lustre to his mighty body.

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