Other Sparrows also recognized her and piped noisily with joy.
Then came another Sparrow that turned out to be the squabbler. He began pushing everybody aside and snatching the best seeds. This was the same Sparrow who had quarreled with Stickelback. Verotchka knew him at once.
"Hello, Master Sparrow!" she said.
"Is that you, Verotchka? Why, hello!"
Sparrow Squabbler hopped on one leg, winked knowingly with one eye and said to the old man:
"Why, this is Verotchka, who wants to be the Queen. I myself heard her say that."
"Do you want to be a Queen, Little One?" asked the Old Man.
"Yes, very much, Grandfather," said Verotchka.
"Very well," said the wise old man. "There is nothing simpler. Every Queen is a woman and every woman a Queen. Now go home and tell that to all the other little girls."
Lady Bug was very glad to get away. She was afraid that the quarrelsome Sparrow would gobble her up.