Thereupon the parrot tried by other flights in this and that direction to draw nigh unto her, and to render her well disposed towards him, whereby he entered into loving relations with her.
When the parrot saw in the king’s palace many kinds of food, such as honey-puffs and other dainties, being cooked in pans, and many cates made of sugar, he said to the maina, “Wherefore are these things being cooked? Is it likely that we shall get any?” Then he said to the maina in verse, “Of this plentiful fresh oil which is being cooked in the pan, shall we partake? Answer softly, O maina.”
“That which is being cooked in the pan,” replied the maina, “shall not be your food, O clever parrot Charaka. With this food is poison mixed for the benefit of Janaka.”
Then the parrot, employing wisdom, artfully said to the maina, “As it is said that the king of Panchāla is about to give his daughter to Janaka, and the news of this has been spread abroad in all the land, I ask whose words are truthful? on whose words can reliance be placed?”
“Clever parrot Charaka,” said the maina, “this evil one is not going to give him his daughter. The men of evil purpose seek only to slay him.”
When the parrot Charaka had heard this, having seen and heard, sought and learnt, he returned home, like a [[170]]merchant who has succeeded in obtaining gains. But to the maina he said, referring to King Śibi, “Now must I go, O good one, in order to let King Śibi know that I have found a soft-spoken maina like unto my wife.”
“O lord,” said the maina, “when you have gone away, and have informed King Śibi, let it be made known after a space of seven days, after no longer lapse of time. Let King Śibi know what are my descent, my family, and my means. For my sake be not lost.”
The parrot flew away, and gave a full account of all these things to Mahaushadha, who made King Janaka acquainted therewith.
When the king of Panchāla saw that Janaka was not coming, he equipped a complete army, and went forth against King Janaka, and besieged his capital. The first minister, Mahaushadha, perceived that there was no withstanding him in fight, so he considered how he could excite discord. By means of sending divers presents to King Śibi’s five hundred ministers he produced dissension. When this had been brought about, Janaka sent envoys to the king of Panchāla with a message to the effect that, although he was in a position to fight the king of Panchāla, yet he wished to be reconciled with him, and not to fight with him who was his father-in-law. The king of Panchāla should know that in King Janaka’s hands lay life and death. But though he could fight with him, yet he would rather not do so. If the king of Panchāla was in doubt, let him consider that Janaka had sent such and such presents to such and such ministers.
The king of Panchāla laid hands on those ministers with the presents, and that same evening he returned home. On his arrival there, he ordered the five hundred ministers to be executed, and made their sons ministers in their stead, and he became reconciled with King Janaka. [[171]]