THE PARROT. 95 



king, at the same time demanding of him the twenty 

 pounds which the bird had bid for the boat. This the 

 king refused, but agreed to leave it to the Parrot to 

 say how much the man should have. The bird, un- 

 derstanding this conversation, instantly screamed out, 

 " Give the knave a groat !" 



Mr. Locke has related an anecdote of one of these 

 birds, still more extraordinary, and were it not the 

 case, that the evidence was sufficient to satisfy him of 

 its truth, we should not relate it here. 



There was a certain old Parrot at Brazil, which was 

 so celebrated for giving answers like a rational crea- 

 ture, that Prince Maurice had the curiosity to send for 

 it, and see for himself, whether the extraordinary sto- 

 ries he had heard about it were true. 



When first brought into the room, the bird exclaim- 

 ed, " What a company of white men are here." One 

 of the company then asked it, " who is that man," 

 (pointing towards the prince.) The Parrot answered, 

 " some great general or other." The prince then ask- 

 ed it, " from what place do you come." The bird 

 replied, " from Maringan." " To whom do you be- 

 long ? said the prince. " To a Portuguese," said Poll. 

 He asked again, " what do you do there ?" " I look 

 after chickens," The prince, laughing, exclaimed, 

 44 You look after chickens !" The Parrot answered, 

 " Yes, I, and 1 know well enough how to do it ;" at 

 the same time beginning to chuck, like a hen. 



This story is related by Mr. Locke, in his Essay on 

 Human Understanding. 



