All the birds selected a beautiful Golden Swan as their King, since the animals and the fish had already selected their own Kings. The Golden Swan had a beautiful daughter whom he loved a lot. He decided to give her one special wish. So, the Golden Swan᾿s daughter said she would like to choose her own husband when she was old enough to marry.
When she was ready for marriage, King Golden Swan invited the birds from the high mountains and from Central Asia, from Tibet and from other far off lands. The function was held in the mountain country of Nepal. The gathering saw the birds of all kinds of different, exotic species: swans, geese, owls, peacocks, hummingbirds, eagles, sparrows, cuckoos and hundreds more.
The land was richly green and the birds sat on trees and rocks around. Golden Swan asked his beautiful daughter to select from among the birds who had gathered there. She looked at all the birds. Then her eyes fell on a gorgeous peacock with vivid feathers and a lovely tail trailing behind him. “Father,” she said, “I like this beautiful peacock. I want him as my husband, please.”
Golden Swan looked at the peacock. Meanwhile, the peacock had overheard the words of the beautiful swan. He was delighted. He was the Chosen One! Some of the birds had also heard her. They came up to the peacock to congratulate him. Some of them looked at him with envy. What a lucky fellow he was! He would marry the King’s daughter, and she was so beautiful too!
The peacock felt so very proud. He preened himself. Stretching his gorgeous neck up to the sky, he cried out aloud. He furled and unfurled his feathers, ruffled his wing and breast feathers, spread out his tail for a magnificent display of his beauty.
Strutting around on the rocks, he did not realise that Golden Swan was watching him and not looking very happy. Some of the younger birds were giggling, smiling and twittering to one another, because he was making such an exhibition of himself.
Suddenly, Golden Swan spoke, “There is no doubt that you are really beautiful, Mr. Peacock. Your beautiful tail, the colours on your neck, your clear cry— everything is truly exquisite. But I will not permit my daughter to marry a fool like you who has no modesty or shame. You are vain and silly and make an exhibition of yourself in public.”
The haughty peacock went away dragging his tail. Later Golden Swan married his daughter to an elegant swan and she lived happily.
