Not a rag nor a drop of ghi or oil was left in the city, to such a length had the monkey grown his tail in sport. The citizens thronged to see the fun; they kicked Hanuman and jeered at him with loud guffaws.

With beating of drums and clapping of hands they took him round the city and then set fire to his tail. When Hanuman saw the fire blazing, he immediately assumed an utterly diminutive form.

- and then slipping out of his bonds, leapt on to the attics of gold, to the dismay of the demons wives.

At that moment all the forty-nine winds, impelled by Hari, began to blow. Hanuman roared with a loud laugh and swelled to such a size that he touched the sky.

Though enormous in size, Hanuman appeared most nimble-bodied; he rushed and sprang from palace to palace. The city was all ablaze and the people were distraught as many millions of fierce flames leapt up.

- and piteous cries were heard everywhere: ‘Alas! Father! Mother! Who will save us at this hour? Did we not say that this was no monkey; but some god in monkey form?

Such is the result of scorning a noble soul; the city is burning as though it had no protector.’ In the twinkling of an eye Hanuman burnt down the city, save only Vibhishana’s house.