They strove but who shall Heaven s might with

stand?

The foul Pest quailed in Nandi s iron hand.

Now begged the Ogre. & quot;Thou of heavenly race,

Unconquered Nandi, grant me, of thy grace,

& quot;In Bharat s walls but one brief night to stay,

Of Bharat s throngs but one weak man to slay,

& quot;Such bounty for mine honor s sake I claim,

And back I crawl, defeated, whence I came. & quot;

Thus Nandi made the pact, and, brazen-voiced

Proclaimed his deed; and Bharat s folk rejoiced.

But ere another sultry night had fled,

In Bharat s walls a hundred men lay dead!

And Bharat s people gasped, with faces pale,

& quot;The Plague! Is Heaven s might of no avail? & quot;

In blazing wrath strode Nandi forth again;

He found the Plague, couched in a stagnant fen.

[16]