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

48 she thought, made a meal of him. She remained with her gaze rivetted on the parrot, who addressed her from his lofty seat—lofty in more senses than one. “ Wretch !” said he, “ you made great attempts to deprive me of my poor life for the imaginary wrong I had done you, but in what have they resulted?—in heaping infamy and ridicule on yourself. You were haughty and proud, and in your pride despised me. You persuaded yourself that Indra would send for you to hear you sing, as you are thought by men to be a great proficient in that art; but such easy and happy con- ditions are not to be attained by you, or such as you. Now, deprived of your wealth, your revenge ungratified, with shame and humiliation, you must retire. Go, then, and never more appear in public; for the person who behaves arrogantly deserves an equal infamy.” It was now evening, and the confidential slave of the disappointed actress was anxiously awaiting the return of her mistress, who, with mingled emotions of rage and shame, hastily clothed herself, wrapping her now bald head in a piece of black cloth, and went home, swearing vengeance against the little bird, and deploring the loss of her immense wealth and property, which she had so inconsiderately, as she now thought, divided amongst the beggars of the city. In such a state of mind, and having fasted all the day, she was naturally enough quite fatigued and hungry when she reached her dwelling; she immediately repaired to her now deserted and desolate room, to take her supper, after which, as she could not bring herself to attend to anything further, she retired early to bed, filled with deep and bitter anguish at the sudden and unexpected change in her fortune. Before retiring she left a message with her slave that if the usual invitation should arrive for her to attend at the king’s palace, to return for answer that she was indisposed, and could not therefore present herself before his majesty. As may well be imagined, the actress spent a restless night, what with the contest within her between inveterate hatred of the parrot, grief for the severe loss that his trick had entailed