The king, having gone there again, bound the sprite and brought him
away. Then the sprite said, “O king! there is a town named Bhogwati, of
which Rüpsen is the king, and he has a parrot named Chürãman. One day
the king asked the parrot, ‘What different things do you know?’ Then the
parrot said, ‘Your majesty! I know everything.’ The king rejoined, ‘Tell
me, then, if you know where there is a beautiful maiden equal to me in
rank.’ Then the parrot said, ‘Your majesty! in the country of Magadh
there is a king named Magadheshwar, and his daughter’s name is
Chandrãvatï; you will be married to her. She is very beautiful, and very
learned.’”
“On hearing these words from the parrot, the king summoned an astrologer
named Chandrakãnt, and asked him, ‘To what maid shall I be married?’
He also, having made the discovery through his knowledge of astrology,
said, ‘There is a maiden named Chandrãvatï; you will be married to her.’
“Hearing these words, the king summoned a Brahman, and after explaining
all, said to him at the moment of despatching him to King Magadheshwar,
‘If you return, after placing the arrangements for my marriage on a firm
basis, I will make you happy.’ Having heard these words, the Brahman took
leave.”
“Now, in the possession of King Magadheshwar’s daughter was a _maina,_
whose name was _Madanmanjari._
“In the same way the princess, too, one day asked Madanmanjari, ‘Where is
there a husband worthy of me?’ On this the _maina_ said, ‘Rüpsen is the
King of Bhogwati; _he_ will be thy lord.’ To be brief, unseen (of one
another), the one had become enamoured of the other, when, in the course
of a few days, the Brahman also arrived there, and delivered his own
sovereign’s message to that king. He too consented to his proposal, and
summoning a Brahman of his own, entrusted to him the nuptial gifts and
all customary things, sent him along with that Brahman, and gave him
this injunction, ‘Do you go and present my compliments to the king, and
having marked his forehead with the usual unguents, return quickly: when
you return I will make preparations for the wedding.’”
“The short of the story is, the two Brahmans set out thence. In the
course of some days they arrived at King Rüpsen’s, and related all the
occurrences of that place. On hearing this the king was pleased, and
after making all (necessary) preparations, set out to be married.
Reaching that country after some days, he married, and after receiving
the bridal gifts and dowry, and bidding adieu to the king, started for
his own kingdom. When leaving, the princess took Madanmanjari’s cage
with her too. After some days they arrived in their own country, and
commenced living happily in their palace.”
“It happened one day that the cages of both the parrot and the _mainã_
were placed near the throne, and the king and queen entered into
conversation, saying, ‘No one’s life passes happily without a companion;
hence it is best for us to marry the parrot and _mainã_ to one another,
and put them both in one cage; then will they also live happily.’ After
conversing together thus, they had a large cage brought, and put both
into it.”
“Some days after, the king and queen were seated conversing with each
other, when the parrot began to talk to the _mainã_, saying, ‘Sexual
intercourse is the essence of all bliss in this world; and he who, on
being born into the world, has not enjoyed sexual intercourse--his life
has been passed in vain. Hence, do thou let me copulate with thee.’ On
hearing this the _mainã_ said, ‘I have no desire for a male.’ Thereupon
he inquired ‘Why?’ The _mainã_ said, ‘The male sex are sinful,
irreligious, deceivers, and wife-killers.’ Hearing this, the parrot
said, ‘The female sex, too, are deceitful, false, stupid, avaricious
creatures, and murderesses.’”
“When the two commenced wrangling in this manner, the king asked, ‘Why
are you two quarrelling with each other?’ The _maina_ replied, ‘Great
king! the male sex are evil-doers and wife-killers, and hence I have no
desire to have a male partner. Your majesty! I will tell you a tale, do
you be pleased to hearken; for such (as I describe them) are men.’”