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

219 the air with Charoo on her back, and convey him such a distance. "Do not be surprised at that, my good and gracious lady," replied the Rajhouse; "I am glad to observe your spirit of enquiry, and I will satisfy you that the Sarjah rides on the goose, the Kartick Swamy on the peacock, and Vishnoo on the Garood.* These birds ascend with their riders on their backs, with such speed and velocity that in a very short time they traverse great distances. Permit me to relate to your highness an unheard-of story on the subject. THE STORY OF THE ANGEL, OR SOVEREIGN RULER OF THE SEA, AND THE TWO BIRDS CALLED TITVI.† "There lived at one time a pair of birds called Titvi, who inhabited a certain locality on the sea-shore, where they were spending their days in peace and plenty. One day the birds went out, leaving their nest unprotected, and in it some eggs on which the female bird was at that time sitting. A malicious frog, who had conceived a hatred against them, availed himself of their absence to steal the eggs, out of mere spite, and took them away to his abode, in a hole under a rock by the sea-shore. When the birds returned to their nest, they were much grieved to find their eggs missing, and they became very disconsolate. Looking about them, they saw the print of the frog's feet on the sand, and from this they were convinced that he was the thief. Having made this discovery, the female bird said to her companion, 'We have been deprived of our eggs by a mean despicable frog who lives near us : shall we not go to the angel who is the sovereign ruler of the sea, and complain to him of the injury that has been done us?' 'Certainly!' replied the male bird. So they applied to the angel, in a most humble and supplicatory manner, for the restoration of their eggs, but he gave little heed to their represen-

• The bird and vehicle of Vishnoo. He is generally represented as the king of the birds. † A bird, Parra Jacana, or Goensis.