Now there lived close to the ruined city, a King great and powerful: and to his ears also came the story of the boy doing justice on the green mound. And the King laughed and said, “Why, he is sitting on the seat of Vikramaditya; that is why he is wise.”
Then the King began to wish the throne for himself. And he sent men with pickaxes and shovels, who dug away the boy’s green mound. Deeper and deeper they went, till they came to a throne of black marble, resting on the backs of twenty-four beautiful carved eagles of marble. And the throne was taken to the palace of the King, and a great day of rejoicing was proclaimed, when the King would mount the throne.
On the great day the King came in state, with his mace bearers, and the men who called his titles, and the men who carried the State jewels, and the men who fanned him with great fans made of the green-blue eyes of a peacock’s tail.
But when the King would have mounted the throne, one of the carven eagles which bore the throne on its back, came alive and spoke to the King.
One of the carven eagles came alive
“Stop!” he said. “Have you never wanted for yourself the kingdom of another?”
And the King had to own that he had.
“Then fast and pray for three days,” said the eagle, “and come back again.”
And the eagle flew away.