"First job hard work, yes. Man do, One see. Man die, One tell. Danger go with man, see? One do many job. Much brave crow. Yes. Clever, too."

The crow pushes out its flurry chest, trying hard to take an important posture. "Crow kings come. Ask much. One tell of man fight. Of man sing. Of all man do."

The crow tilts its head, peering with its one eye at Edgar. "Other go with gnome, yes? Gnome small. No good fight. Good sing? Good drink? Good feed?"

--

The parrot on top of Mandrake's head starts joining in, in the chattering style common to all Avians. Strangely, even in Avian, its inflection and repetition resemble that of a parrot speaking in common

"Not speak man speak? Man speak? Jolly speak man speak. Man speak. Jolly got man too. Jolly got job. Job. Job. Jolly and man. Job. Jolly like Jolly man."

--

Edgar's annoyance at having his conversation with Mandrake interrupted abates as he struggles to understand the sense of the crows words, a task not helped by the incessant squawking of Jolly. "Hush," he tells the parrot crossly, in avian, as he formulates his response to the other bird, choosing his words carefully.

"Not job," he says, "My choice ." he tries again, "ME do." "Gnome ." he pauses, " Gnome tells. Gnome speaks. Gnome good."

He warms towards the crow as he speaks, his interest piqued as he recognises the signs of intelligence, and strangely does not find growing the same sense of superiority that comes upon him when communicating with common birds.

"Crow Kings ?" he asks, his curiosity evident.

--

"Gnome good? Ah, One see! Gnome good feed beak, good feed ear, too, yes? Gnome tell tale, yes?" The crow nods its beak in understanding, its one eye widening at Edgar's curious question. Mandrake's discomfort at having become a crow's nest is completely ignored.

"Crow kings fly world, see all, hear all. Crow kings give job to One, One much needed, yes. One tell Crow Kings of m... SQWUAAAAAAAK!!! LOOK OUT!! CAT!!"

With an ear-splitting caw and a frantic flutter of black wings he takes off, flapping mad evasive manoeuvres between tents and servants carrying plates and empty mugs.

--

About the same time as the crow departs -

Jolly screeches "Danger Danger Danger" and departs from Mandrake's head flying almost straight up to a piece of adjacent tenting - to see what unfolds.