“As I am your king,” answered Ulysses, “and wiser than any of you, it is therefore the more my duty to see what has befallen our comrades, and whether anything can yet be done to rescue them.  Wait for me here until to-morrow.  If I do not then return, you must hoist sail, and endeavor to find your way to our native land.  For my part, I am answerable for the fate of these poor mariners, who have stood by my side in battle, and been so often drenched to the skin, along with me, by the same tempestuous surges.  I will either bring them back with me or perish.”

Had his followers dared, they would have detained him by force.  But King Ulysses frowned sternly on them, and shook his spear, and bade them stop him at their peril.  Seeing him so determined, they let him go, and sat down on the sand, as disconsolate a set of people 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 earnestly to speak with me?  If you can talk in human language, say what you would have me do.”

“Peep!” answered the purple bird, very dolorously.  “Peep, peep, pe—­we—­ep!”

Certainly there lay some heavy anguish at the little bird’s heart; and it was a sorrowful predicament 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 mystery.  He therefore quickened his pace, and had gone a good way along the pleasant wood-path, when there met him a young man of very brisk and intelligent aspect, and clad in a rather singular garb.  He wore a short cloak, and a sort of cap that seemed to be furnished with a pair of wings; and from the lightness of his step, you would have supposed that there might likewise be wings on his feet.  To enable him to walk still better (for he was always on one journey or another), he carried a winged staff, around which two serpents were wriggling and twisting.  In short, I have said enough to make you guess that it was Quicksilver; and Ulysses (who knew him of old, and had learned a great deal of his wisdom from him) recognized him in a moment.

“Whither are you going in such a hurry, wise Ulysses?” asked Quicksilver.  “Do you not know that this island is enchanted?  The wicked enchantress (whose name is Circe, the sister of King AEetes) dwells in the marble palace which you see yonder among the trees.  By her magic arts, she changes every human being into the brute, beast, or fowl whom he happens most to resemble.”

“That little bird which met me at the edge of the cliff,” exclaimed Ulysses; “was he a human being once?”