h him, and took off her gold
and silver bangles, which she placed in a bundle of warm things, that
he might be in need neither of money nor clothes on the journey. He
then charged the nine hundred and ninety-eight parrots he left behind
him to bring her plenty of corn and rice daily (that she might never
need food while he was away), and took her to the house of her father,
in whose care she was to remain during his absence; and he wished her
good-bye, saying, "Do not fear but that I will come back to you, even
if I do win the Panch-Phul Ranee, for you will always be my first
wife, though you are the Carpenter's daughter."
The old parrot and another parrot then spread their wings, on which
the Rajah seated himself as on a chair, and rising up in the air, they
flew away with him out of sight.
Far, far, far they flew, as fast as parrots can fly, over hills, over
forests, over rivers, over valleys, on, on, on, hour after hour, day
after day, week after week, only staying to rest every night when it
got too dark to see where they were going. At last they reached the
seven seas which surrounded the Panch-Phul Ranee's country. When once
they began crossing the seas they could not rest (for there was
neither rock nor island on which to alight), so they were obliged to
fly straight across them, night and day, until they gained the shore.
By reason of this the parrots were too exhausted on their arrival to
go as far as the city where the Rajah, Panch-Phul Ranee's father,
lived, but they flew down to rest on a beautiful banyan tree, which
grew not far from the sea, close to a small village. The Rajah
determined to go into the village and get food and shelter there. He
told the parrots to stay in the banyan tree till his return; then,
leaving his bundle of clothes and most of his money in their charge,
he set off on foot toward the nearest house.
After a little while he reached a Malee's cottage, and giving a gold
mohur to the Malee's wife, got her to provide him with food and
shelter for the night.
Next morning he rose early, and said to his hostess, "I am a stranger
here, and know nothing of the place. What is the name of your
country?" "This," she said, "is Panch-Phul Ranee's country."
"And what is the last news in your town?" he asked, "Very bad news
indeed," she replied. "You must know our Rajah has one only
daughter--a most beautiful Princess--and her name is Panch-Phul Ranee,
for she is so light and delicate th
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