"
"Well, of course he does," said all the creatures. "He is a Cockatoo, so
he looks like one!"
"Yes," cried the Swallow, "but you must stick horsehairs on his head.
Human justice must be done with horsehair. The prisoner won't believe the
Cockatoo is a judge without. Good Gracious!" exclaimed the Swallow, "just
look! The prisoner is scratching the judge's poll! We really must have
horsehair!"
Dot, seeing the Swallow's indignation, drew away from the stump, and the
Cockatoo tried to look as if he had never seen her before, and as if the
idea of having his poll scratched by the prisoner was one that could never
have entered his head.
"But, if we do put horsehair on the Cockatoo's head," argued the creatures,
"what will it do?"
"It will impress the prisoner," said the Swallow.
"How?" they all asked curiously.
"Because the Cockatoo won't look like a Cockatoo," replied the Swallow,
with exasperation.
"Then what will he look like?" asked every creature in breathless
excitement.
"He won't look like any creature that ever lived," retorted the Swallow.
Perfect silence followed this explanation, for every bird and animal was
trying to understand human sense and reason. Then the smallest Kangaroo
Rat broke the stillness.
"If," said the Kangaroo Rat, "only a little horsehair can do that, surely
the prisoner can imagine the judge isn't a cockatoo, without our having to
wait for the horsehair.
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