Twenty-Two Goblins Tales from the Vikram and the Vampire Cycle

There is a city called Benares where Shiva lives. It is lovedby pious people like the soil of Mount Kailasa. The river ofheaven shines there like a pearl necklace. And in the citylived a king called Valour who burned up all his enemies byhis valour, as a fire burns a forest. He had a son namedThunderbolt who broke the pride of the love-god by hisbeauty, and the pride of men by his bravery.