The Vampire's Strange Pact with Vikram

"I will come with you on one condition," said the Vampire. "I will narrate a story to you and ask you a question at the end. If you speak, I will return to this tree. On the other hand, if you remain silent despite knowing the answer, I will burst your head open."

"Agreed," said Vikram, who quickly stripped off his waistcloth and fashioned a bag from it, into which he bundled the Vampire. He tossed the bag over his shoulder and, with Dharma Dhwaj, began walking to where they had left Shanta-Shil. The Vampire then began narrating a story to Vikram.

After the story was finished, the Vampire asked Vikram a question based on it. Vikram knew the right answer and answered, lest the Vampire break his head into pieces. As per the pact, the Vampire freed itself from the cloth bag and flew back to the siras tree, where he suspended himself head downward from another branch.

Vikram and Dharma Dhwaj were back to square one. They hurried back to the siras tree and, as before, severed the branch on which the Vampire was hanging, captured him, and bundled him into the bag.

Vikram and Dharma Dhwaj again started walking toward Shanta-Shil. The Vampire began narrating another tale, at the end of which he asked Vikram a question. Vikram again answered correctly, and the Vampire flew back to the tree.

This cycle occurred twenty-four times, during which the Vampire narrated twenty-four tales to Vikram. But on Vikram's twenty-fifth attempt to deliver the Vampire to the devotee, something different happened.