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THE ENCHANTED PARROT
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vain to them: " Come and help me ! I have been cheated by the prince of scoundrels ! "

Presently a party of merchants came by who viewed the spectacle with astonishment. They too declined to give any assistance, so finally he went to the chief of the police and laid a complaint. " Sir ! " he exclaimed, " I have been done by the biggest blackguard in the whole town." So the police took the matter up, and went to Vimala's house to set things straight.

Vimala did not accompany them, but he had taken care to rouse their interest in his case by a liberal expenditure of money. When they reached the house they saw Vimala (as they thought) indoors. So they said, " It is all right, there is Vimala inside ! " Presently the real Vimala, who had followed them, appeared. They were rather at a loss to know which was which, and the end of it was that a disturbance arose, and a good deal of damage was done.

The Prince Sudarśana got all the blame for this; as it is said —

" The fire of revolt breaks out, produced by tyranny and oppression. It becomes unquenchable, and the majesty and the dignity of the prince is injured by it."

The whole matter then came before the prince.