"
"I wear feathers because it pleases me," growled the king. "Am I not
a great magician? But I will fight, nevertheless, and if Woof
masters me he shall be king in my stead."
Then he visited his friends, the gulls, who were even then feasting
upon the dead bear, and told them of the coming battle.
"I shall conquer," he said, proudly. "Yet my people are in the
right, for only a hairy one like themselves can hope to command
their obedience."
The queen gull said:
"I met an eagle yesterday, which had made its escape from a big city
of men. And the eagle told me he had seen a monstrous polar bear
skin thrown over the back of a carriage that rolled along the
street. That skin must have been yours, oh king, and if you wish I
will sent an hundred of my gulls to the city to bring it back to
you."
"Let them go!" said the king, gruffly. And the hundred gulls were
soon flying rapidly southward.
For three days they flew straight as an arrow, until they came to
scattered houses, to villages, and to cities. Then their search
began.
The gulls were brave, and cunning, and wise. Upon the fourth day
they reached the great metropolis, and hovered over the streets
until a carriage rolled along with a great white bear robe thrown
over the back seat.
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