विक्रम चरित (उज्जैन सम्राट् विक्रमादित्य - पराक्रम, न्याय एवं ३२ पुतलियों की कथा सटीक)

197 hermit to guide and advise him, in order that he might succeed in obtaining the information he sought. The hermit smiled, but looked thoughtful. 'What is your idea, Charoo,' said he, 'of this mission? Do you think it possible that you will succeed? You are indeed lucky in having met with me, because you would otherwise never have found out where the Chitrakoot mountain is situated, even if you wandered over half the world. In all proba- bility no human being has ever gained admittance there; how, then, can you by any possibility expect to succeed in your mission? However, listen attentively to what I am about to say, for it is of the utmost importance to you. There is on the mountain of Himonchul* a most beautiful Vur tree: it has a large trunk and seven branches. It rises to a great height, and the branches extend a hundred and twenty yojuns in circumference. On one of these branches there live a family of royal geese, consisting of a gander, a goose, and three goslings. These birds possess the remarkable power of entering into the three worlds,— namely, heaven, the earth we inhabit, and the infernal regions. They possess as much sense and discernment as any of the human kind, and they live chiefly upon celestial fruits. One of the birds goes daily to the heavenly regions for the purpose of procuring sufficient fruit to last for the day; this they do by turns. When the fruit is brought, it is immediately divided into seven shares, one of which is offered to God, and set apart for that purpose; a second is reserved for any guest who may happen to visit them; and the remaining five are distributed amongst them—one to each. Before they sit down to their meal, the bird who has brought the food that day calls out in a human voice for a guest, three times successively; if one chances to be near he is at once invited to partake of the share allotted to him, but if no guest appear they commence their repast, at the conclusion of which the two unconsumed shares are

• One of the Himalaya mountains.