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When the world was young and all the animals spoke the language of mankind, the peacock, U Klew, was but an ordinary grey feathered bird without any pretensions to beauty. But, even in those days, he was much given to pride and vanity, and strutted about with all the majesty of that royalty, just because his turf was more erect than other birds and his tail being longer, was carried with more grace than those of any of his companions.
He was a very unaccommodating neighbour. His tail was so long that he could not enter the houses of most of other birds. So he always attended the courts of the great, and was entertained by one or other of the wealthy birds at times of festivals in the jungle. He thus had very high opinion about himself adding to self-importance. He became so haughty and overbearing that he was cordially disliked by his neighbours, who endeavored to repay him by playing many a jest at his expense.
His neighbours flattered him, pretending that they held him in high esteem, simply for the amusement of seeing him swelling his chest and hearing him boast. One day they pretended that a great Durbar of the birds had been held to select an ambassador to carry the greetings of the jungle birds to the beautiful maiden Ka Sngi, who ruled in the Blue Realm and pored her bright light so generously on their world. And so U Klew had been chosen for this great honour.
The peacock was very elated and became more a swaggering than ever, and talked of his coming visit with great boastings, saying that not only was he going as the ambassador of birds, but he was going to serve his own interests as well, and he would woo and win the royal maiden for his wife and live with her in the Blue Realm.
The birds enjoyed much secret fun at his expense, none of them ever dreaming that he would be foolish enough to make the attempt to fly so far, for he was such a heavy-bodied bird and had never flown higher than a tree top.
But much to the surprise of everyone, the peacock expressed his intention of visiting the Blue Realm, and bade his friends good bye. They laughing among themselves, thinking how ridiculous his decision was and how angry he would be when finds he had been duped. Contrary to their expectations, however, U Klew continued his flight upwards till they lost sight of him, and they marveled and became afraid, not knowing into what situation their jest might drive him.
Strong on the wing, U Klew soared higher and higher, never halting till he reached the sky and alighted at the palace of Ka Sngi, the most beautiful of all maidens and the most good.
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