He fell asleep, and this is what he dreamed.
The long golden rays seemed to turn into the bars of a cage. Yes, he was in a huge cage! He tried frantically to get out! He beat against the bars! Then he saw what looked like the roots of trees, and brown tree trunks, a grove all around the cage. But the trees moved and stepped about, and, looking up the trunks, instead of leaves he saw feathers, and still farther, sharp beaks, and then bright eyes looking at him. They were birds!
What he had thought were the roots of trees were their claws, and the trunks of the trees were their legs. But what enormous birds! They were as big as men, while he was as small as a bird.
“Let me out!” he shouted. “Don’t you know I am the Emperor, and every one must obey me? Let me out, I say!”
“Ah, he is beginning to sing,” said one bird to another.
“Not a very musical song. Too shrill by far! Take my advice, wring his neck and roast him. He would make a tender, juicy morsel for our supper.”
“Please, please let me out!”
“Oh, let me out! Please, please let me out!” cried the poor Little Emperor in terror.
“He is singing more sweetly now,” remarked one of the birds.