"I was a bird at the time," Merlyn saaid, rather sulkily. "T. Merula, the common blackbird, if the classification interests you at all, which I suppose it doesn't. It seemed like a sensible place to land. I was just about to get myself properly settled, too, and then the dratted beam caught light and I dropped my by-our-lady knitting. Drat it all," he added, in conclusion, and waved a bony, age-spotted hand. "There. I gave you my explanation. Be a good chap and pass up that knitting. My knees will be quite pained by the climb down, and I really oughtn't to keep asking favours of the body-changing kind."