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

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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.