ONCE upon a time a very long while ago， when the mice ate the cats and the dwarfs beat the giants - for that is how the story goes， and I tell you it is true - it came to pass that the King of the Birds of this world scattered five measures of millet seed on the ground。Then he took his horn and blew it to call all the birds together， and to tell them to pick up the scattered millet and divide it among themselves in a brotherly manner。
When the birds heard the blowing of the horn they all came together from all parts of the world， and divided the millet among themselves in a brotherly manner as the King had ordered them。
But after they had divided it up - I do not know how it happened-one grain was left on the ground。When they saw that single millet they flew all together to pick it up。First one claimed it， then another said it belonged to him， that it was part of his share， and from words they came to blows。There arose such a clamour and fight amongst them as never had happened before。Those who escaped alive from the scrimmage only escaped with broken limbs， not to speak of those who remained behind lying stark dead on the ground， and the whole place was strewn with their plumage。The enchanted Sur who had come from the other world， and had also taken part in the fight， at the end of it found himself with a broken wing。On discovering that his wing was broken， he withdrew as quickly as possible and fluttered slowly along until he reached a dense forest where the trees were so big that no single man could span the trunk of any of them， and were so high that no man could see the tops of them even if he had six eyes。There Sur settled down on one of the branches close to the edge of the forest。
As he was sitting there， what did he see but a man coming along， who at once tried to shoot him。
“Hey！ man， do not shoot me， but take me down gently and carry me home and see that I get well again。Who knows sooner or later I may do you a good turn。”
When the hunter heard the bird speaking with a human voice， he lowered his gun and waited till it had finished。
Then he took up his gun again。