fall without an effort worthy of a monarch.

He resolved to at once attack the mighty horde Choo Hoo commanded with
the only troops he could get quickly together in this emergency. These
were the rooks, the praetorian guard of his state, the faithful,
courageous, and warlike tenth legion of his empire. No sooner did he
thus finally resolve than his whole appearance seemed to change. His
outward form in some degree reflected the spirit within. His feathers
ruffled up, and their black and white shone with new colour. The glossy
green of his tail gleamed in the sunshine. One eye indeed was gone, but
the other sparkled with the fire of war; he scented the battle, and
sharpened his bill against the bough.

He only regretted that he had not taken this course before, instead of
idling in the palace, and leaving his kingdom to the wiles of traitorous
courtiers and delegates. If he had only bestirred himself like the
ancient Kapchack of former days this extremity would not have arisen.
Even yet it was not too late; war was a desperate and uncertain game,
and it was not always the greatest army, in point of numbers, that
rejoiced in the victory. He would trust in his fortune, and swoop down
upon the enemy. Calling to his body-guard, he flew at once straight
towards the plain, where, at that time in the morning, he knew the main
body of the rooks would be foraging. Full of these resolutions he did
not observe the maimed beetle lying helpless in the grass, but looking
neither to the right nor the left, taking counsel of no one--for to whom
could he apply for honest advice?--he winged his way swiftly onward.

In about half-an-hour he reached the plain, and saw the rooks scattered
over the ground; he rested here upon the lower branch of an elm, and
sent forward a messenger, one of the eight magpies who attended him, to
tell the commander-in-chief to wait upon him. Upon receiving the
message, the general, hoping that at last the king had decided upon
action, since so abrupt a summons to his side was somewhat unusual, flew
hastily to the elm and saluted the monarch. Kapchack, without any
preamble, announced his intention of forming the rooks into column, and
falling at once upon the horde of barbarians. In the rooks, he said, and
their loyal commander, lay the last hope of the state--he placed himself
in their midst and relied upon them solely and alone.

Ah Kurroo Khan, the commander-in-chief, could scarcely refrain from
shouting w