[FN#2] This ceremony will be explained in a future page.

　　The work of Apuleius， as ample internal evidence shows， is borrowed from the East. The groundwork of the tale is the metamorphosis of Lucius of Corinth into an ass， and the strange accidents which precede his recovering the human form.

　　Another old Hindu story-book relates， in the popular fairy-book style， the wondrous adventures of the hero and demigod， the great Gandharba-Sena. That son of Indra， who was also the father of Vikramajit， the subject of this and another collection， offended the ruler of the firmament by his fondness for a certain nymph， and was doomed to wander over earth under the form of a donkey. Through the interposition of the gods， however， he was permitted to become a man during the hours of darkness， thus comparing with the English legend -

　　Amundeville is lord by day，But the monk is lord by night.

　　Whilst labouring under this curse， Gandharba-Sena persuaded the King of Dhara to give him a daughter in marriage， but it unfortunately so happened that at the wedding hour he was unable to show himself in any but asinine shape. After bathing， however， he proceeded to the assembly， and， hearing songs and music， he resolved to give them a specimen of his voice.

　　The guests were filled with sorrow that so beautiful a virgin should be married to a donkey. They were afraid to express their feelings to the king， but they could not refrain from smiling， covering their mouths with their garments. At length some one interrupted the general silence and said：

　　"O king， is this the son of Indra？ You have found a fine bridegroom； you are indeed happy； don't delay the marriage； delay is improper in doing good； we never saw so glorious a wedding！ It is true that we once heard of a camel being married to a jenny-ass； when the ass， looking up to the camel， said， 'Bless me， what a bridegroom！' and the camel， hearing the voice of the ass， exclaimed， 'Bless me， what a musical voice！' In that wedding， however， the bride and the bridegroom were equal； but in this marriage， that such a bride should have such a bridegroom is truly wonderful."

　　Other Brahmans then present said：

　　"O king， at the marriage hour， in sign of joy the sacred shell is blown， but thou hast no need of that" （alluding to the donkey's braying）.

　　The women all cried out：

　　"O my mother！[FN#3] what is this？ at the time of marriage to have an ass！ What a miserable thing！ What！ will he give that angelic girl in wedlock to a donkey？"

　　[FN#3] A common exclamation of sorrow， surprise， fear， and other emotions. It is especially used by women.

　　At length Gandharba-Sena， addressing the king in Sanskrit， urged him to perform his promise. He reminded his future father-in-law that there is no act more meritorious than speaking truth； that the mortal frame is a mere dress， and that wise men never estimate the value of a person by his clothes. He added that he was in that shape from the curse of his sire， and that during the night he had the body of a man. Of his being the son of Indra there could be no doubt.

　　Hearing the donkey thus speak Sanskrit， for it was never known that an ass could discourse in that classical tongue， the minds of the people were changed， and they confessed that， although he had an asinine form he was unquestionably the son of Indra. The king， therefore， gave him his daughter in marriage.[FN#4] The metamorphosis brings with it many misfortunes and strange occurrences， and it lasts till Fate in the author's hand restores the hero to his former shape and honours.

　　[FN#4] Quoted from view of the Hindoos， by William Ward， of Serampore （vol. i. p. 25）.

　　Gandharba-Sena is a quasi-historical personage， who lived in the century preceding the Christian era. The story had， therefore， ample time to reach the ears of the learned African Apuleius， who was born A.D. 130.