Then spake the little bird: "Illustrious King, What seek'st thou here? This mansion is the house Of ghosts and demons who will injure thee." The King was filled with wonder thus to hear A bird address him. But it flew away, And hid behind a couch. "The bird I'll find," He said, and ope'd the curtains soft. He saw Full stretched, upon a bed in dragon's shape, A human form, in heavy-lidded sleep That seemed like death, and covered with a cloth Of blue, whose face betokened deepest grief. "Is it a child celestial?" thought the King, "Or doth she feign to sleep? Awake, my sweet, And let us be good friends and lovers true." So spake the King, but still no motion saw. He sat upon the couch, and to himself He said: "If it a phantom be, why are The eyes so firmly shut? Perhaps she's dead. She truly is of origin divine, Though born a princess." Then he lifted high The covering delicate that hid the form Of Bidasari sweet, and stood amazed At all the magic beauty of her face. Beside himself, he cried, "Awake, my love." He lifted her and said, with kisses warm, "Oh, have no fear of me, dear heart. Thy voice Oh, let me hear, my gold, my ruby pure, My jewel virginal. Thy soul is mine. Again he pressed her in his arms, and gave Her many kisses, chanting love-songs low. "Thou dost not wake, O dearest one, but thou Art yet alive, because I see thee breathe. Sleep not too long, my love. Awake to me, For thou hast conquered with thy loveliness My heart and soul." So fell the King in love With Bidasari. "Ah, my sweet," he said, "In all the world of love thou'rt worthiest." The _mantris_ grew uneasy at his stay. They rose and said: "What doth the King so long? If harm befell him, what would be our fate? Oh, let us call him back at once, my lords." So one approached the palace, and cried out: "Return, O prince accomplished, to us now. Already night is near. Back thou may'st come To-morrow ere the dawn. We are afraid Lest spirits harm thee. Come, O King, for we A-hungered are, and wait for thy return." But the illustrious prince was mad with love Of Bidasari. Pensively he cried: "Branch of my heart, light of mine eyes, my love, Pure gold, thou'rt like angel. Now must I Depart. To-morrow I will come again." With no more words he left her, but returned. "My heart would tell me, wert thou really dead. Some trouble hast thou, dearest one?" he cried. "What bitter grief hath caused thee thus to sleep?" He found the nobles murmuring and vexed. "O King," they said, "our hearts were filled with fear Lest evil had befallen thee. What sight So strange hath kept thee all these hours?" The King Replied with laughter, "There was naught to see." But they remarked his brow o'ercast with thought, And said, "O King, thy heart is sorely vexed." "Nay, nay," the King replied, "I fell asleep. Naught did I hear except the _mantri's*_ voice.