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Soon Willie was putting together more short sentences,
and no longer did he simply repeat what was said to him.
In another couple of weeks he could converse about the things
that most interested him, those things being his favorite foods,
female parrots ("Nice tail feathers on that one! I go rutting.
Come back later"), and the joys of flight ("How you can bear
to hop around on the ground, even if you got two legs? You not
fly-able. Sad, sad.") He was also able to talk a bit of what had
happened to him. |
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All of us were sitting in the cave, one evening, and
Willie was still on my shoulder, chattering, speiling
great long strings of curses (the which he had long ago
learned from Mr. Birdsong, the great master of the salt
encrusted phrase). Mr. Birdsong said, "Willie, ye still use
my words; why will ye not come back to me?" The camelion leech shifted itself on Willie, situating itself about the top and sides of his head. "I young parrot. Parrot live long time. You already old. Want somebody can live with me a long time. We still friends, yes? You me?" " 'Tis that thing on ye that 's made ye leave me. I know not whether I speak to you or to it!" "No more Willie, no more leech. Now Willie-leech. Much greater thing than either was before. Now need new leg. You carve for me?" "What, carve you a leg? Never heard of a peg legged parrot, but if that's what ye crave, ye shall have it." |
Copyright © Michael B.Stevens, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005. All rights reserved. Format modified Aug. 2005