HOW THE PARAKEET KING REGAINED HIS FREEDOM

A parakeet king and his subject once had their nests in a tall tree in one of Aceh's forests. They were always up early in the morning, usually before sun-rise, to make ready for the flight to farr-off places in search of food. Late in the evening they returned home, then stayed in their nests to rest till the next morning. This happened day after day, for such was their life.

But once bright morning they discovered to their consternation that there was no possibility of them leaving their nests. Their wings and bodies were glued together. "Why?" they wondered, but they did not get any answer.

"What can we do?" they asked each other in panic. Only the parakeet king was calm. He said: "I think somebody has come by day to snare us. A human being must have done this to catch us. You know we can speak; we can imitate human speech and therefore everybody wants us in his house. This person can sell us for a lot of money or he can also prepare delicious food og us for his family."

"All right then, but how can we escape?" asked one bird.

"Don't worry," the king answered. "I have an idea. This morning someone will surely come to find out whether he was successful in snaring us. When he arrives here, don't move; lie as if dead. He will certainly think we are dead and then he will throw us to the ground. When you are on the ground, keep still and count to ninety nine. This will mean that all of us have fallen; then fly away together. Understand?" they nodded.

The king was right. A few hoursa later, the bird saw a boy approaching their tree. He looked upwards and saw the birds lying in their nests.

"How lucky I am!" he whispered in joy. "All of them are still in their nests! Hmmmm, I'll get plenty of money. I can buy fine clothes and something for my parents." It was this boy, called Meuseukin, who had put lime in in the nests to catch the bird. Full of expectation, he climbed up the tree but great was his disappointment on discovering that all the creatures were dead.

"Unlucky me!" he cried. Annoyed at the sad discovery, he flung all of them one by one to the ground. The parakeet king's nest was on the highest branch of the tree and therefore the king was the last to be thrown to the ground. But just as the boy was about to throw the bird down, his knife fell out of his pocket. The sound of its fall caused the birds on the ground to think that their number was complete, and therefore they all flew away at the same moment. The birds, as well as Meuseukin, were surpeised, the birds on discovering that their king was not in their group and Meuseukin of finding that the birds had played a trick upon him.

"How stupid I am!" he grumbled. "But never mind, another time I'll be lucky. "While he was standing under the tree he noticed a bird fly down and touch the lower branch of nearby tree. The bird could not fly away as on his wings and legs there was still lime, which held him fast to the branch. Time after time he attempted to get loose, but in vain.

"Well!" Meuseukin thought, "it is the parakeet king! How beautiful he looks!"meuseukin stealthily approached the bird an in one moment he got hold of his legs. Although the parakeet struggled to get free, he could not, for the grasp of the body's hand was too firm for the little bird.

"Poor me!" lamented the unlucky creature. "This boy will prepare a delicious meal of me for his family."

Meuseukin took the bird home. But on the way the bird suddenly spoke to him: "Please don't kill me. I'll bring you much wealth and happiness."

"Can I trust you?"
"You'll see; just let me live," the parakeet king ansewered.
On arriving home Meuseukin put the bird in a beautiful yellow cage and hung it on ther front veranda of his house. There every morning he sang his lovely songs to the great enjoyment of all around. His subject too had heard him and they flew to the house, sitting on the ridge of the roof. Soon the beauty and the melodious voice of the small ceature become known all trough the land. People came from every corner of the country to see and hear the bird sing, bringing eith them nice food, money and fine clothes for Meuseukin. Soon Meuseukin become a wealthy man and did not regret having trusted the bird.

The fame of the bird also reached the king's ears. He too wanted to see the bird and hear him sing. Therefore a messenger was sent from the court to Meuseukin with instruction to tell him to come to the palace of the king, bringing the bird with him. This was a great day FOR Meuseukin. He put on his best clohtes and made for the palace, carrying the bird in a beautiful, brand-new cage. On his arrival at the palace gate, a courtier met him and took hin into the presence of the king. The latter was already sitting with other guests in the big hall where the bird was to sing.

Up and down, loud and soft, sounded the melodious voice, as clear as a bell, tat came from the bird's throath. The king abd the audience were very pleased.

"No instrument whatsoever could surppass that heavenly voice," they said.

After the performance Meuseukin was asked to sell the bird to the king. As he himself was eager to keep the bird, he hesitated but the bird whispered to him:"Don't be afraid; please sell me to the king. You wont't regret it; it will be to your advantage." Up to that moment the bird had not disappointed him, so why not trust him this time? Therefore Meuseukin presented the parakeet to the king. In return he received a great amount of money, besides valuable presents. From that time on, Meuseukin was the whealthiest man in the village.

At the royal court the parakeet king lived a truly kingly life. His cage was made of gold and his food was very delicious. Nevertheless, a gold cage was no match for a life of freedom in the woods. He pined for his subjects. Flying together with them in the air to far-off places was the life he desired; this would make him happier than being kept and fed in a gold cage. To get this freedom he had to find a trick. He would sham death and this he did one bright morning. He lay at the bottom of his cage, making no movement what-soever. The keeper thought he was dead. Hearing about the death of the beloved bird, the king was filled with sadness. He stood near the cage with tears running down his cheeks.

"Dear bird, I'll never hear your voice again," he whispered. Then he ordered a stately burial for the bird in the palace garden, which was full of beautiful flowers. However, when the bird was laid on the ground while the grave was being dug, all of a sudden he spread his wings and flew high into the sky, out of reach of all those present.

"Free!" shouted the parakeet king in joy, as he looked for his subjects in order to live happily ever after.