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。
“Hey， good man， put that weapon down！ You had better understand that I am not threatening any ill to you；”and the bird went on saying one thing after another until at last， when it had spoken for the third time， the hunter decided to spare it， and， taking it down， carried it gently to his house， thinking to himself：
“Who knows， perhaps this curious bird may bring me luck， as it speaks with a human voice。”
When he arrived at home he put a plaster on its broken wing， and tried all possible remedies to heal the poor bird。
After he had finished putting the plaster on， the bird asked the man to kill a cow， as he wanted something to eat。And he ate the whole cow。
On the second day he again asked that another cow should be killed for him to eat。
“That is all very well， my dear Eagle，”replied the man，“but if I go on like this I shall soon be a poor man。”
“Never mind，”said the Eagle；“I know what I am doing。Do not worry。But unless you do what I ask， I shall not be able to help you。”
“Well， but-”the man went on， musingly-“how long shall I be able to do it？”
But still he gave the Eagle a cow to eat every day until he had none left。What was he to do then？ He had entered the hora， and had to keep the tune。
On the day when the man had killed the last cow， Sur the Eagle told him to fix up a pole fifty feet high in the middle of the ground， and to plant it only just one foot deep in the ground。No sooner had he done it than Sur the Eagle took hold of the pole and gripped it with his claws， and， rising up in the air， flew away-far away， so far that the man lost sight of him。When he had lost sight of him， the man started whistling， saying：
“Now look at me。What a fool I have been！ He has eaten up all my cows， and now he has flown away。”And he started scratching his head。Whilst he was scratching his head he heard a whirring noise， and， turning round， what did he see but the Eagle Sur coming down like lightning from the height of heaven， driving the pole deep down into the ground， and then ramming it farther in with his breast bone。Then Sur turned to the man and said to him：“That was only a trial of strength。Now get on to my back and let us depart。”
When they had risen very， very high， close to the Kingdom of the Storm Wind， the Eagle shook the man off his back and let him drop， but soon caught him again with his talons。This he did three times， just dropping him， letting him fall a little， and then catching him with his talons and replacing him on his back。Then he said to the man：“You gave me the same fright when you were going to shoot at me three times， and now I have repaid you for it。”After that they continued their flight， and kept on for a long while until they came to a palace radiant with light。So strong was the light that the man could have more easily looked at the sun without blinking than at this palace。The Eagle Sur said to him：“This is the palace of my sister， who believes that I am dead； go and beg alms from her， for the benefit of the soul of the departed。Ask her to give you alms and the dried-up nut from under her pillow， and when she gives it to you say，‘May God bless you！ May this gift be for the benefit of whatever soul may stand in need of it， and may the Eagle Sur live wherever he be！’”
“Very well，”said the man，“I will do so；”and he went。When he had reached the palace of the Eagle’s sister， and had received the alms， he said：“May God bless you， and may these alms be for the benefit of the soul that stands in need of it， and may the Eagle Sur live wherever he be！”
“What！ is he still alive？”asked his sister， full of joy；“and if so， why does he not come to see me？ Where is he wandering？”
“He is sure to come home，”said the man，“but you must first give me the driedup nut from under your pillow， and he is then certain to come back； but he wants to do something with it， I do not know what。”
“These are empty words，”she replied；“I have not seen him for such a long time， and I doubt whether I shall ever see him again。But be that as it may， the dried-up nut I will not give。”
When he heard these words， the man returned to the place where he had left the Eagle and told him that such and such had happened。