Page:Where Animals Talk (West African folk lore tales).djvu/243



Sparrow based his claim on the grounds of companionship, and community of interests.

Parrot's claim is based on a very common line of argument in native disputes not only about property, but in all questions of liability.

Parrot and Sparrow argued about their right to inherit the property that a Man had left.

The Sparrow said, "The Man and I lived all our days in the same town. If he moved, I also moved. Our interests were similar. At whatever place he went to live, there also I stood in the street."

The Parrot spoke, and based his claim on the ground that he was the original cause of the Man's wealth. He said, "I was born in the tree-tops; then the Man came and took me, to live with him.

When my tail began to grow, he and his people took my feathers;

With which they made a handsome head-dress;

Which they sold for very many goods;

With which they bought a wife;

And that woman bore daughters;

Who, for much money, were sold into marriages;

And their children also bore other children;

Wherefore, for that reason, it is that I say that I caused for them all these women, and was the foundation of all this wealth."

This was what Parrot declared.