at she weighs no heavier than five
lotus flowers. After her this whole country is called Panch-Phul
Ranee's country. She lives in a small bungalow in the centre of the
city you see yonder; but, unluckily for us, she has vowed to marry no
man who cannot jump on foot over the seven hedges made of spears, and
across the seven great ditches that surround her house. This cannot be
done, Babamah! I don't know how many hundreds of thousands of Rajahs
have tried to do it and died in the attempt! Yet the Princess will not
break her vow. Daily, worse and worse tidings come from the city of
fresh people having been killed in trying to jump the seven hedges and
seven ditches, and I see no end to the misfortunes that will arise
from it. Not only are so many brave men lost to the world, but, since
the Princess will marry no one who does not succeed in this, she
stands a chance of not marrying at all; and if that be so, when the
Rajah dies there will be no one to protect her and claim the right to
succeed to the throne. All the nobles will probably fight for the Raj,
and the whole kingdom be turned topsy-turvy."

"Mahi," said the Rajah, "if that is all there is to do, I will try and
win your Princess, for I can jump right well."

"Baba," answered the Malee's wife, "do not think of such a thing; are
you mad? I tell you, hundreds of thousands of men have said these
words before, and been killed for their rashness. What power do you
think you possess, to succeed where all before you have failed? Give
up all thought of this, for it is utter folly."

"I will not do it," answered the Rajah, "before going to consult some
of my friends."

So he left the Malee's cottage, and returned to the banyan tree to
talk over the matter with the parrots; for he thought they would be
able to carry him on their wings across the seven ditches and seven
hedges made of spears. When he reached the old tree the parrot said to
him, "It is two days since you left us; what news have you brought
from the village?" The Rajah answered, "The Panch-Phul Ranee still
lives in the house surrounded by the seven ditches, and seven hedges
made of spears, and has vowed to marry no man who cannot jump over
them; but cannot you parrots, who brought me all the way over the
seven seas, carry me on your wings across these great barriers?"

"You stupid man!" answered the old parrot, "of course we could; but
what would be the good of doing so? If we carried you across, it would