And with a benignant smile, he answered the King thus, 'Be of good heart, my Liege; thou shalt not only bring the host back safely, but thou shalt first destroy the castle of King Silver-sides.' 'How can that be, with my diminished forces?' asked the Rajah. 'It will come to pass!' answered the Vulture. 'Break up to-day for the blockade of the fort.' Now, when this was reported by the spies to King Silver-sides, he was greatly alarmed. 'Good Goose!' said he, 'what is to be done? Here is the King of the Peacocks at hand, to blockade us--by his Minister's advice, too.' 'Sire,' replied the Goose, 'separate the efficient and the inefficient in your force; and stimulate the loyalty of the first, with a royal bounty of gold and dresses, as each may seem to merit. Now is the time for it-- 'Oh, my Prince! on eight occasions prodigality is none-- In the solemn sacrificing, at the wedding of a son, When the glittering treasure given makes the proud invader bleed, Or its lustre bringeth comfort to the people in their need, Or when kinsmen are to succor, or a worthy work to end, Or to do a mistress honor, or to welcome back a friend.' 'But is this expenditure needed?' said the King. 'It is needed, my Liege,' said the Goose, 'and it befits a Monarch; for-- 'Truth, munificence, and valor, are the virtues of a King; Royalty, devoid of either, sinks to a rejected thing.' 'Let it be incurred then!' replied the King. At this moment Night-cloud, the Crow, made his appearance. 'Deign me one regard, Sire,' said he, 'the insolent enemy is at our gates; let your Majesty give the word, and I will go forth and show my valor and devotion to your Crown.' 'It were better to keep our cover,' said the Goose. 'Wherefore else builded we this fortalice? Is it not said?-- 'Hold thy vantage!--alligators on the land make none afraid; And the lion's but a jackal that hath left his forest-shade.' But go, your Majesty, and encourage our warriors." Thereupon they repaired to the Gateway of the Fort, and all day the battle raged there. It was the morning after, when King Jewel-plume spake thus to his Minister the Vulture--'Good sir, shall thy promise be kept to us?' 'It shall be kept, your Majesty,' replied the Vulture; 'storm the fort!' 'We will storm it!' said the Peacock-king. The sun was not well-risen accordingly when the attack was made, and there arose hot fighting at all the four gates. It was then that the traitorous Crows, headed by their Monarch, Night-cloud, put fire to every dwelling in the citadel, and raised a shout of 'The Fort is taken! it is taken!' At this terrible sound the soldiers of the Swan-king forsook their posts, and plunged into the pool. Not thus King Silver-sides:--retiring coolly before the foe, with his General the Paddy-bird, he was cut off and encircled by the troopers of King Jewel-plume, under the command of his Marshal, the Cock.