
          Disguised in ragged clothes, Vikram made his way to the court of 
     King Karan. 
          "Your Majesty," said Vikram, "allow me to be your servant. I hear 
     you are the most generous king of all." 
          "It's true!" chortled the King. "Tomorrow you can help carry the 
     gold." 
          The next day, Vikram helped carry the baskets of gold coins to 
     the palace steps. He watched as the King handed out all the gold 
     before going in to his huge breakfast. 
          Vikram thought, "Truly, Karan is a generous king. But how does he 
     have so much gold?" He decided to keep a careful eye on the King. 
          So it was, the next morning before dawn, Vikram spied the King 
     sneaking from the palace. He followed secretly as Karan hurried up a 
     mountain path to the hut of the holy, hungry hermit. 
          And there, through an open window, Vikram watched with amazement 
     as the scrawny, squinty-eyed hermit fried the King in a huge pan, ate 
     him down to the bones, and brought him back to life. Then Vikram saw 
     the hermit lift his coat from a peg and shake out a hundred pounds of 
     gold coins. 
          "So, that's it!" said Vikram to himself. "Now I know how to 
     rescue the goose!" 

