“Where are you going, Mr. Blackbird?” asked the River.
“To fight against the King, for he has taken my wife as prisoner.”
“I will join you,” said the River.
“Jump into my ear,” said the Blackbird. So the River went into his ear, and away they all went to the palace of the King.
When they reached the outer gate, the bold Blackbird knocked loudly: “Thump! Thump! Thump!”
“Who is there?” said the Porter.
“General Blackbird, who has come to make war upon the King and to get his wife back again,” said the Blackbird.
When the Porter saw General Blackbird in his frog-skin coat of armor, with his helmet and drum made from a walnut shell, and with a thorn for a sword, he laughed so hard that he could scarcely open the gate. And when the King saw the bold bird, he laughed so heartily he nearly fell from his throne. “Ha! Ha! Ha!” roared the King. “What do you wish with me, bold General Blackbird?”
“I want my wife at once,” said the Blackbird, beating upon his drum, rub-a-dub, rub-a-dub!
“You shall not have her! I have shut her up in a cage and I am waiting for her to sing to me,” said the King.