I have said to myself, 'My Prince's understanding is affected--how else would he obscure the moonlight of policy with the night-vapors of talk;'

in such a mood I cannot help him--

'Wisdom answers all who ask her, but a fool she cannot aid; Blind men in the faithful mirror see not their reflection made.'

And therefore I have been absent.'

'My father!' said the King, joining his palms in respect, 'mine is all the fault! Pardon it, and instruct me how to withdraw my army without further loss.'

Then the Vulture's anger melted, and he reflected--

'Where the G.o.ds are, or thy Guru--in the face of Pain and Age, Cattle, Brahmans, Kings, and Children--reverently curb thy rage.'

And with a benignant smile, he answered the King thus, 'Be of good heart, my Liege; thou shalt not only bring the host back safely, but thou shalt first destroy the castle of King Silver-sides.'

'How can that be, with my diminished forces?' asked the Rajah.

'It will come to pa.s.s!' answered the Vulture. 'Break up to-day for the blockade of the fort.'

Now, when this was reported by the spies to King Silver-sides, he was greatly alarmed. 'Good Goose!' said he, 'what is to be done? Here is the King of the Peac.o.c.ks at hand, to blockade us--by his Minister's advice, too.'

'Sire,' replied the Goose, 'separate the efficient and the inefficient in your force; and stimulate the loyalty of the first, with a royal bounty of gold and dresses, as each may seem to merit. Now is the time for it--

'Oh, my Prince! on eight occasions prodigality is none-- In the solemn sacrificing, at the wedding of a son, When the glittering treasure given makes the proud invader bleed, Or its l.u.s.tre bringeth comfort to the people in their need, Or when kinsmen are to succor, or a worthy work to end, Or to do a mistress honor, or to welcome back a friend.'

'But is this expenditure needed?' said the King.

'It is needed, my Liege,' said the Goose, 'and it befits a Monarch; for--

'Truth, munificence, and valor, are the virtues of a King; Royalty, devoid of either, sinks to a rejected thing.'

'Let it be incurred then!' replied the King.

At this moment Night-cloud, the Crow, made his appearance. 'Deign me one regard, Sire,' said he, 'the insolent enemy is at our gates; let your Majesty give the word, and I will go forth and show my valor and devotion to your Crown.'

'It were better to keep our cover,' said the Goose. 'Wherefore else builded we this fortalice? Is it not said?--

'Hold thy vantage!--alligators on the land make none afraid; And the lion's but a jackal that hath left his forest-shade.'

But go, your Majesty, and encourage our warriors." Thereupon they repaired to the Gateway of the Fort, and all day the battle raged there.

It was the morning after, when King Jewel-plume spake thus to his Minister the Vulture--'Good sir, shall thy promise be kept to us?'

'It shall be kept, your Majesty,' replied the Vulture; 'storm the fort!'

'We will storm it!' said the Peac.o.c.k-king. The sun was not well-risen accordingly when the attack was made, and there arose hot fighting at all the four gates. It was then that the traitorous Crows, headed by their Monarch, Night-cloud, put fire to every dwelling in the citadel, and raised a shout of 'The Fort is taken! it is taken!' At this terrible sound the soldiers of the Swan-king forsook their posts, and plunged into the pool.

Not thus King Silver-sides:--retiring coolly before the foe, with his General the Paddy-bird, he was cut off and encircled by the troopers of King Jewel-plume, under the command of his Marshal, the c.o.c.k.

'My General,' said the King, 'thou shalt not perish for me. Fly! I can go no farther. Fly! I bid thee, and take counsel with the Goose that Crest-jewel, my son, be named King!'

'Good my Lord,' replied the Paddy-bird, 'speak not thus! Let your Majesty reign victorious while the sun and moon endure. I am governor of your Majesty's fortress, and if the enemy enter it he shall but do so over my body; let me die for thee, my Master!--

'Gentle, generous, and discerning; such a Prince the G.o.ds do give!'

'That shalt thou not,' replied the Rajah--

'Skilful, honest, and true-hearted; where doth such a Va.s.sal live?'

'Nay! my royal Lord, escape!' cried the Paddy-bird; a king's life is the life of his people--

'The people are the lotus-leaves, their monarch is the sun-- When he doth sink beneath the waves they vanish every one.

When he doth rise they rise again with bud and blossom rife, To bask awhile in his warm smile, who is their lord and life.'

'Think no more of me.' At this instant the c.o.c.k rushing forward, inflicted a wound with his sharp spurs on the person of the King; but the Paddy-bird sprang in front of him, and receiving on his body the blows designed for the Rajah, forced him away into the pool. Then turning upon the c.o.c.k, he despatched him with a shower of blows from his long bill; and finally succ.u.mbed, fighting in the midst of his enemies.

Thus the King of the Peac.o.c.ks captured the fortress; and marched home with all the treasure in it, amid songs of victory.

Then spake the Princes: "In that army of the Swans there was no soldier like the Paddy-bird, who gave his own life for the King's."

"There be nowhere many such," replied Vishnu-Sarman; "for

'All the cows bring forth are cattle--only now and then is born An authentic lord of pastures, with his shoulder-scratching horn.'[20]

"It is well spoken," said the Princes.

"But for him that dares to die so," added the Sage, "may an eternal heaven be reserved, and may the l.u.s.trous Angels of Paradise, the Apsaras, conduct him thither! Is it not so declared, indeed?--

'When the soldier in the battle lays his life down for his king, Unto Swerga's perfect glory such a deed his soul shall bring.'

"It is so declared," said the Rajah's sons.

"And now, my Princes," concluded Vishnu-Sarman, "you have listened to 'War.'"

"We have listened, and are gratified," replied the sons of the King.

"Let me end then," said their Preceptor, "with this--

'If the clouds of Battle lower When ye come into your power, Durga grant the foes that dare you Bring no elephants to scare you; Nor the thunderous rush of horses, Nor the footmen's steel-fringed forces: But overblown by Policy's strong breath, Hide they in caverns from the avenging death.'

[16] The peac.o.c.k is wild in most Indian jungles. The swan is a species of flamingo of a white color. The voice and gait of a beautiful woman are likened by the Hindoo poets to those of the swan.

[17] By such a death as that alluded to, she earns the t.i.tle of Sati, the "excellent."

[18] The common Indian crane; a graceful white bird, seen everywhere in the interior of Hindoostan.

[19] A man of military caste.

[20] Large branching horns which reach backward and rub upon his shoulders.