almost the pleasantest part of the spectacle to Ulysses. For,
from the abundance of this smoke, it was reasonable to conclude
that there was a good fire in the kitchen, and that, at
dinner-time, a plentiful banquet would be served up to the
inhabitants of the palace, and to whatever guests might happen
to drop in.

With so agreeable a prospect before him, Ulysses fancied that
he could not do better than go straight to the palace gate, and
tell the master of it that there was a crew of poor shipwrecked
mariners, not far off, who had eaten nothing for a day or two,
save a few clams and oysters, and would therefore be thankful
for a little food. And the prince or nobleman must be a very
stingy curmudgeon, to be sure, if, at least, when his own
dinner was over, he would not bid them welcome to the broken
victuals from the table.

Pleasing himself with this idea, King Ulysses had made a few
steps in the direction of the palace, when there was a great
twittering and chirping from the branch of a neighboring tree.
A moment afterwards, a bird came flying towards him, and
hovered in the air, so as almost to brush his face with its
wings. It was a very pretty little bird, with purple wings and
body, and yellow legs, and a circle of golden feathers round
its neck, and on its head a golden tuft, which looked like a
king's crown in miniature. Ulysses tried to catch the bird. But
it fluttered nimbly out of his reach, still chirping in a
piteous tone, as if it could have told a lamentable story, had
it only been gifted with human language. And when he attempted
to drive it away, the bird flew no farther than the bough of