ows. Night came on, and their little
sister was anxiously awaiting her brothers' return, when on a sudden
she heard a loud whirring sound in the air, and round the tree flocked
a hundred black crows, cawing and offering her berries and roots which
they had dug up with their sharp bills. Then the little sister guessed
too truly what must have happened--that some malignant spirit had
metamorphosed her brothers into this hideous shape; and at the sad
sight she began to cry.

Time wore on; every morning the crows flew away to collect food for
her and for themselves, and every evening they returned to roost in
the branches of the high tree where she sat the livelong day, crying
as if her heart would break.

At last so many bitter tears had she shed that they made a little
stream which flowed from the foot of the tree right down through the
jungle.

Some months after this, one fine day, a young Rajah from a
neighbouring country happened to be hunting in this very jungle; but
he had not been very successful. Toward the close of the day he found
himself faint and weary, having missed his way and lost his comrades,
with no companion save his dogs, who, being thirsty, ran hurriedly
hither and thither in search of water. After some time, they saw in
the distance what looked like a clear stream; the dogs rushed there
and the tired prince, following them, flung himself down on the grass
by the water's brink, thinking to sleep there for the night; and, with
his hands under his head, stared up into the leafy branches of the
tree above him. Great was his astonishment to see high up in in the
air an immense number of crows, and above them all a most lovely young
girl, who was feeding them with berries and wild fruits. Quick as
thought, he climbed the tree, and bringing her carefully and gently
down, seated her on the grass beside him, saying, "Tell me, pretty
lady, who you are, and how you come to be living in this dreary
place." So she told him all her adventures, except that she did not
say the hundred crows were her hundred brothers. Then the Rajah said,
"Do not cry any more, fair Princess; you shall come home with me and
be my Ranee, and my father and mother shall be yours."

At this she smiled and dried her eyes, but quickly added, "You will
let me take these crows with me, will you not? for I love them dearly,
and I cannot go away unless they may come too."

"To be sure," he answered. "You may bring all the animals in the
j