such a
large beak, opening it took some time), when the Welcome Swallow fussed
into court, and said that "nothing could be done until they had some
horsehair!"

[Illustration: THE COCKATOO JUDGE]

This interruption, and the Swallow's repeated assurance that no human
trial of importance could take place without horsehair, set all the
creatures chattering with astonishment and questions. Some said the
Swallow was joking; others said that it was making senseless delays, and
that night would fall before they could bring the prisoner to justice.
There was much grumbling on all sides, and complaints of hunger, and the
jury began to clamour for the grubs that they had been promised, at
which the Magpie whispered to Dot that she certainly would be found
guilty. The fact was now quite clear to the jury before the trial began.

But the Swallow persisted that they must have horsehair.

"What for?" asked everyone, sulkily.

"Don't you see for yourselves," squeaked the Swallow, excitedly; "the
Judge looks like a Cockatoo."

"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 horse hairs 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.