down on the sand, as disconsolate a set of peo-
ple as could be, waiting and praying for his
return.

It happened to Ulysses, just as before, that,
when he had gone a few steps from the edge of
the cliff, the purple bird came fluttering towards
him, crying, "Peep, peep, pe weep!" and using
all the art it could to persuade him to go no
farther.

"What mean you, little bird?" cried Ulysses
"You are arrayed like a king in purple and gold,
and wear a golden crown upon your head. Is it
because I too am a king, that you desire so ear-
nestly to speak with me? If you can talk in
human language, say what you would have
me do."

"Peep!" answered the purple bird, very dolo-
rously. "Peep, peep, pe we ep!"

Certainly there lay some heavy anguish at the
little bird's heart; and it was a sorrowful pre-
dicament that he could not, at least, have the
consolation of telling what it was. But Ulysses
had no time to waste in trying to get at the mys-
tery. He therefore quickened his pace, and had
gone a good way along the pleasant wood path

[[196]]

p195 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p196w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p197

v?