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 horsehairs 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.