Tag Archives: The Golden Mallard and The Peacock

321. The Golden Mallard and The Peacock

Once on a time, in the first cycle of the world’s history, the quadrupeds chose the Lion as their king, the fishes the monster-fish Ananda, and the birds the Golden Mallard. Now the King Golden Mallard had a lovely young daughter, and her royal father granted her any boon she might ask. The boon she asked for was to be allowed to choose a husband for herself; and the king mustered all the birds in the country to gather at the Himalayas. All the birds came and they flocked together on a great plateau of bare rock. Then the king sent for his daughter and bade her go and choose a husband to her likes.