91 



one foot up in his feathers, shook his bird disappeared. This so surprised 



head, closed his eyes and dozed peace- Koko that he actually awoke from his 



fully. slumber. He tried to say, "Well ! well ! 



For the third time the king of birds . what has happened," but could not utter 

 turned toward the Koko-bird and spoke a sound. The king of birds now flew 

 in a voice even more terrible than on away, which was the signal for the ad- 

 previous occasions. journment of the assembly, for, you see, 



"Are you the most graceful and high- their work was done. All of the birds 



est flyer among birds ? Answer me quick began to depart for their respective 



and heed well your answer." home trees, but before doing so each one 



The Koko-bird merely opened one eye said something sarcastic or insulting, 



and said sleepily, "I am," whereat the hoping to humiliate the forsaken culprit, 



vast concourse of birds were astonished This merely annoyed Koko a little. He 



for the third time. Some opened their tried to retaliate by boldly declaring that 



bills in amazement at such unheard-of he was the handsomest, the most musical 



audacity; others hooted and screamed and the most graceful of all birds, as he 



clamorously, demanding that the wicked had often done before, but he could not, 



Koko be severely dealt with. for had not the council decreed that he 



The king of birds now flapped both be "struck dumb?" He tried to catch 



wings to demand silence and attention, the little sparrow, who, by his derisive 



Those who had their bills open closed twitterings, annoyed him even more than 



them with a snap and the clamorous ones the vulture, by his coarse insults, but his 



became perfectly quiet. The king then wings would not carry him. He merely 



turned toward the council and spoke in succeeded in falling into the Boozoo 



an even, stentorian voice, as follows: river. 



"Gentlemen birds of the council. The "Now I shall be drowned," he thought, 



prisoner, otherwise known as the Koko- for you remember he could not talk, 



bird, stands before you, self-accused and But behold ! he did not drown ; by means 



self-condemned. I commit him to your of his featherless wings and tail he could 



judgment. Let his punishment be as swim beautifully on top of the water as 



severe as the bird law will permit." well as in it. His body feathers being 



The bird council then adjourned to gone, they did not become water-soaked 



the large council tree where they re- and give him the snuffles, a severe cold, 



mained in closed session for one hour, or perhaps pneumonia. Koko was as- 



They then returned to the bird assembly tonished to find that water, which he had 



and the leader thus addressed the king formerly feared, was not bad at all. He 



of birds : could drink whenever he wanted to with- 



"Your majesty, the grand council of out having to stand at the edge of the 



this bird assemblage, convened by you, river bank, as he formerly did and get his 



find the prisoner guilty and fix upon the feet all mud. In time his wings and 



following punishment : feet became fins and the feather stumps 



"i. Because of his boast that he is the became scales; in other words, the erst- 

 handsomest of birds his tail and wing while boastful Koko became a fish, 

 feathers shall be pulled out and all other The Koko-fish (for so must the Koko- 

 feathers shall be shorn close. bird be called now), would have lived in 



"2. Because of his boast that he is the the Boozoo river peacefully had not an 



best singer among birds he shall be owl noticed him one day. 

 struck dumb. "O, ho! What is this?" said the wise 



"3. Because of his boast that he is the one, blinking both eyes. "Such a 



most graceful and highest flyer among creature was never seen before. I must 



birds, he shall forever be prevented from investigate closer." So saying he flew 



moving in the atmosphere in which we to a lower limb and looked hard at Koko. 



move." Koko, in turn, stared at the owl out of 



No sooner had the speaker finished one eye ; he did not wink or blink but 



when the handsome feathers of the Koko- simply stared and said nothing. 



