it arrived at her palace, but the shouts of laughter from the guards and people inducing her to put her head out of window, she beheld the most extraordinary sight she had ever seen in her life. Mirlifiche, followed by a considerable number of monkeys, advanced towards the chariot of the apes, and, giving his paw to the largest, called Gigona, assisted her to descend; then letting fly the little parrot, who was to serve as interpreter, he waited until this beautiful bird had presented itself to the Queen and demanded an audience for him.
Perroquet, raising himself gently in the air, came to the window out of which the Queen was looking, and in a tone of voice the prettiest in the world said, "Madam, his excellency the Count De Mirlifiche, ambassador from the celebrated Magot, king of the monkeys, demands an audience of your Majesty, to treat of a most important affair." "Beautiful parrot," said the Queen, caressing him, "first take something to eat and to drink, and then I will allow you to go and tell Count Mirlifiche I bid him most welcome to my kingdom, he and all who accompany him. If his journey from Magotia hither has not too much fatigued him, he may shortly enter my audience chamber, where I shall await him on my throne, with all my court." At these words Perroquet kissed his claw twice, flapped his pinions, sang a little air, expressive of his delight, and taking wing again perched on the shoulder of Mirlifiche and whispered to him the favourable reply he had received. Mirlifiche was not insensible of the kindness. He immediately requested one of the Queen's officers, through the magpie, Margot, who had installed herself as sub-interpreter, to show him into an apartment, where he might repose for a few moments. They immediately opened a saloon paved with marble, painted and gilded, which was one of the best in the palace. He entered it with part of his suite, but as monkeys are always great ferreters by profession, they found a certain corner in which had been arranged a quantity of jars of preserves. Behold the gluttons at them. One has a crystal cup full of apricots, another a bottle of syrup—this one a patty, that one some almond cakes. The winged gentry who made up the cortège were much annoyed to be spectators of a feast in which there was neither hempseed nor millet-seed, and a jackdaw, who was a great chatterer, flew to the audience chamber, and, respectfully approaching the Queen,
