Animals -- Juvenile fiction; Fantasy literature; Human-animal communication -- Juvenile fiction; Voyages and travels -- Juvenile fiction
Some of the enemy were lucky; and with only a snip or two managed to
get outside the fence—where the parrots immediately left them alone.
But with most, before the black birds had done with them, the ears
presented a very singular appearance—like the edge of a postage-stamp.
This treatment, very painful at the time, did not however do them any
permanent harm beyond the change in looks. And it later got to be the
tribal mark of the Bag-jagderags. No really smart young lady of this
tribe would be seen walking with a man who did not have scalloped
ears—for such was a proof that he had been in the Great War. And that
(though it is not generally known to scientists) is how this people
came to be called by the other Indian nations, the _Ragged-Eared
Bag-jagderags_.
As soon as the village was cleared of the enemy the Doctor turned his
attention to the wounded.
In spite of the length and fierceness of the struggle, there were
surprisingly few serious injuries. Poor Long Arrow was the worst off.
However, after the Doctor had washed his wound and got him to bed, he
opened his eyes and said he already felt better. Bumpo was only badly
stunned.
With this part of the business over, the Doctor called to Polynesia
to have the Black Parrots drive the enemy right back into their own
country and to wait there, guarding them all night.
Polynesia gave the short word of command; and like one bird those
millions of parrots opened their red beaks and let out once more their
terrifying battle-scream.
The Bag-jagderags didn’t wait to be bitten a second time, but fled
helter-skelter over the mountains from which they had come; whilst
Polynesia and her victorious army followed watchfully behind like a
great, threatening, black cloud.
The Doctor picked up his high hat which had been knocked off in the
fight, dusted it carefully and put it on.
“To-morrow,” he said, shaking his fist towards the hills, “we will
arrange the terms of peace—and we will arrange them—in the City of
Bag-jagderag!”
His words were greeted with cheers of triumph from the admiring
Popsipetels. The war was over.
_THE SEVENTH CHAPTER_
THE PEACE OF THE PARROTS
THE next day we set out for the far end of the island, and reaching it
in canoes (for we went by sea) after a journey of twenty-five hours, we
remained no longer than was necessary in the City of Bag-jagderag.
When he threw himself into that fight at Popsipetel, I saw the Doctor
really angry for the first time in my life. But his anger, once
aroused, was slow to die. All the way down the coast of the island he
never ceased to rail against this cowardly people who had attacked his
friends, the Popsipetels, for no other reason but to rob them of their
corn, because they were too idle to till the land themselves. And he
was still angry when he reached the City of Bag-jagderag.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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