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

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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.