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

15 such enquiries were made regarding them, and at the same time was astonished that a parrot should display so much sense and sympathy. There was something very extraordi- nary about that, he thought. In the belief that a parrot, which could show such wonderful wisdom, might also devise some means for the amelioration of their condition, he besought it to take pity on their miserable state, and asked it to come down from the tree, assuring it that no harm should be done it. Seeing the kind and grateful manner in which the invitation was tendered, the parrot flew down from the tree, and joined the wanderers below. These people, one after the other, drew near it by turns, and prostrated themselves before it. The chief, at the end of this obeisance, said, “ Oh sage parrot ! do us the favor to listen attentively to our unfortunate tale. We are of the tribe of Bahooroopee ; we arrived at this city about a month ago, with the view of following our calling, which is that of strolling players, and by such means to earn an honest livelihood ; but I regret exceedingly to state that the king will not permit our doing so, nor will he condescend to witness our performance, which has proved a sore disap- pointment to us, and we are now at a great loss what plan to adopt to obtain a subsistence. We have been compelled by sheer necessity to part with all we possessed when we first set foot in this city, even with the ornaments which formed a part of our appendage, for the purpose of obtain- ing food, so that we have nothing left now, and are therefore quite destitute.” The parrot, after a patient hearing of this sad case, asked the chief if any of them were masters of any particular art, by exhibiting which the king might be induced to sympathise with them. He replied that if the king would only tolerate their presence, and allow them a fair opportunity of winning his patronage, he would under- take to secure it ere long. The parrot then desired to be informed of the arts with which the Bahooroopees were familiar, and they did so. But, much to their surprise, none of them seemed to please the parrot, still less did they