Page:Where Animals Talk (West African folk lore tales).djvu/60

 But the Beasts said, "Not so! We are his relatives, and by us shall his property be divided."

Then the Council of Animals demanded of the Beasts on what ground they based their claim for relationship, and what answer they could make to the argument of the birds as to Crocodile's egg-origin.

The Beasts said, "It may be true that the mark of tribe must be found, in a beginning, but not in an egg. For, all Beings began as eggs. Life is the original beginning. Look you! When life really begins in the egg, then the mark of tribe is shown. When Ngando's life began, he had four legs as we have. We judge by legs. So we claim him as our relative. And we will take his property."

But, the Birds answered, "You Beasts said we were not relatives because we wear feathers, and not ngando-plates. But, you, look you! Judge by your own words. Neither do you wear ngando-plates, you with your hair and fur! Your words are not correct. The begininng of his life was not, as you say, when little Ngando sprouted some legs. There was life in the egg before that. And his egg was like ours, not like what you call your eggs. You are not his relatives. He is ours."

But the Beasts disputed still. So the quarrel went back and forth. And they never settled it.