Chapter VIII 



HOW THE COCK BECAME KING OF THE BIRDS 



Many a night I have sat by my camp-fire to be enter- 

 tained by old chiefs and head men. When I got to know 

 their language it was a continual source of delight to me to 

 listen to their folk-lore and nature stories. I always found 

 that there was a subtle sense of humour underlying their 

 presentation. They reminded me of my experiences with 

 those delightful peasants of France, who live in the moun- 

 tain villages along the Riviera. They invariably had a 

 jest which they were always ready to share with their 

 camp-fire friends. Some of the stories they told to me 

 took as long as five nights to recite, for we always ad- 

 journed our gatherings before midnight, so as to turn 

 in and be ready for an early start on the following day. 



"How the cock became king of the birds," lasted for 

 five nights. It started like this as most stories do. "Once 

 upon a time all the birds of the forest quarrelled amongst 

 themselves as to who should be the greatest. At length it 

 was suggested that they should present themselves before 

 the lord of the forest, whose special title I have now for- 

 gotten, to ask him to decide. This he agreed to do. First 

 of all the eagle came and the lord of the forest said to 

 the eagle, 'What have you got to say for yourself?' And 



76 



