On the eastern side of this same Himalaya, the king of mountains, are green-flowing streams, having their source in slight and gentle mountain slopes; in a fragrant, charming, bright spot, blooming with the beauty of lotuses, blue, white, and the hundred-leafed, the white lily and the tree of paradise, [420] in a region overrun and beautified with all manner of trees and flowering shrubs and creepers, resounding with the cries of swans, ducks and geese, inhabited by troops of monks and ascetics, and such as are possessed of magical or supernatural powers, and haunted by high angelic beings, demons, goblins, ogres, heavenly minstrels, fairies and mighty serpents--verily it was in such a charming forest-thicket that the royal cuckoo Punnamukha dwelt. Very sweet was his voice, and his laughing eyes were as the eyes of one intoxicated with joy. Three thousand five hundred hen-birds followed in the train of this cuckoo Punnamukha. So two birds seizing a stick in their mouths and seating Punnamukha in the middle of it fly up into the air, fearing lest fatigue, &c. [421] Then did Punnamukha, escorted by these birds by day, thus sing their praises, saying, "Bravo, my sisters, this act of yours well becomes high-born ladies, in that ye do service to your lord." Then in truth the cuckoo Punnamukha drew nigh to the place where sat the bird Kunala, and the birds in attendance upon Kunala saw him, and while he was yet afar off they drew nigh to Punnamukha and thus accosted him: "Friend Punnamukha, Kunala here is a fierce bird and has a rough tongue. Haply by your help we may win kindly speech from him." "Haply we may, ladies," he said. And so saying, he drew nigh to Kunala, and after a kindly greeting he sat respectfully on one side and thus addressed Kunala: "Wherefore dost thou, friend Kunala, behave so ill to these high-born ladies of rank, though they themselves are well-conducted. One ought, friend Kunala, to speak pleasantly even to ladies who are themselves ungracious in speech: much more to such as are gracious." When he had so spoken, Kunala abused Punnamukha after this manner, saying, "Perish, vile wretch, yea, perish utterly. Who is to be found like you, won over