In spite of poverty, this little family dwelt happily beneath the huge banyan tree, the princess rigidly keeping the secret that her husband had but a year to live.  Time passed all too swiftly, however, and as the year drew toward an end the little wife grew strangely pale and still, fasted constantly, and spent most of her time praying that the doom of death might be averted.  When the fatal day drew near, she was so weak and faint she could hardly stand; but, when Satyavan announced he was going out into the forest to cut wood, she begged to accompany him, although he objected the way was far too rough and hard for her tender feet.  By dint of coaxing, however, Savitri obtained his consent; so hand in hand she passed with her husband through the tropical woods.

While Satyavan was felling a tree, he suddenly reeled and fell at her feet, fainting.  In a moment Savitri was bending over him, holding his head in her lap and eagerly trying to recall life in his veins.  While doing so, she suddenly became aware of Yama, God of Death, with blood-red clothes, cruel eyes, and the long black noose, with which he snares the soul and draws it out of the body.  In spite of Savitri’s pleading, he now drew out Satyavan’s soul and started off with his prize, leaving the youthful body pale and cold on the ground.

  With that the gloomy god fitted his noose,
  And forced forth from the prince the soul of him—­
  Subtile, a thumb in length—­which being reft,
  Breath stayed, blood stopped, the body’s grace was gone,
  And all life’s warmth to stony coldness turned. 
  Then, binding it, the Silent Presence bore
  Satyavan’s soul away toward the South.
                                —­Edwin Arnold.

But the little wife, instead of staying with the corpse, followed Yama, imploring him not to bear off her husband’s soul!  Turning around, Yama sternly bade her go back, as no human mortal could tread the road he was following, and reminding her that it was her duty to perform her husband’s funeral rites.  She, however, insisting that wherever Satyavan’s soul went she would go too, painfully followed the king of death, until in pity he promised to grant her anything she wished, save her husband’s soul.  Thereupon Savitri begged that her blind father-in-law might recover sight and kingdom, boons which Yama immediately granted, telling Savitri to go and inform her father-in-law so, for the way he had to tread was long and dark.

Weak and weary as she was, Savitri nevertheless persisted in following Yama, until he again turned, declaring he would grant any boon, save her husband’s life, to comfort her.  The little wife now begged her father might have princely sons, knowing he had long desired an heir.  This favor, too, was granted, before Yama bade her go back to light and life; but Savitri still insisted that was impossible, and that as long as she lived she must follow her beloved!