and a parrot flew over Champa Ranee's head, calling out, 'Nautchgirl! Nautch-girl! what have you done?' Champa Ranee recognised the voice as Vicram's; he went on—'Will you go body and soul to Heaven? have you forgotten Polly's words?'
Champa Ranee rushed into the temple, and, falling on her knees before the Idol, cried out, 'Gracious Power, I have done all as you commanded; let your words come true; save me; take me to Heaven.'
But the Parrot above her cried, 'Good-bye, Champa Ranee, good-bye; you ate a chicken's head, not mine. Where is your house now? where your servants and all your possessions? Have my words come true, think you, or yours?'
Then the woman saw all, and in her rage and despair, cursing her own folly, she fell violently down on the floor of the temple, and, dashing her head against the stone, killed herself.
It was now two years since the Rajah Vicram left his kingdom; and about six months before, Butti, in despair of his ever returning, had set out to seek for him. Up and down through many countries had he gone, searching for his master; but without success. As good fortune would have it, however, he chanced to be one of those strangers who had come to witness the Nautch-girl's translation, and no sooner did he see the Parrot which spoke to her, than in him he recognised Vicram. The Rajah also saw him, and flew on to his shoulder, upon which Butti caught him, put him in a cage, and took him home.
Now was a puzzling problem to be solved. The Rajah's soul was in the parrot's body, and the Carpenter's son's soul in the Rajah's body. How was the latter to be expelled to make way for the former? He could not return to his own body, for that had perished long before. The Wuzeer knew not how to manage the matter, and determined therefore to await the course of events.
It happened that the pretended Rajah and Butti had each a fighting ram, and one day the Rajah said to the Wuzeer, 'Let us set our rams to fight to-day, and try the strength of mine against yours.' 'Agreed,' answered the Wuzeer; and they set them to fight. But there was much difference in the two rams; for when Butti's ram was but a lamb, and his horns were growing, Butti had tied him to a lime-tree, and his horns had got very strong indeed by constantly rubbing against its tender stem, and butting against it; but the Carpenter's son had tied his ram, when a lamb, to a young teak-tree, the trunk of which was so stout and strong,
