A few days later, James was feeling really bored when Elspeth wandered into the room where his cage sat and asked him how he was enjoying being a parrot. To his surprise, James found himself able to speak freely, albeit with very simplified language and still with the harsh squawking rasp to his voice that befitted his current form.
"James is bored and wants to be human, Mistress Elspeth." He said agitatedly, emitting a loud, involuntary squawk at the end as if to really emphasise the point. "James wants to get out of this cage please Mistress Elspeth." James flapped his wings in frustration and rocked from one foot to the other letting out another humiliating squawk as he did so, hanging his head in shame and frustration.
"I see." Said the witch, frowning with her arms folded as she contemplated her pet creation. "Well I think you make a handsome parrot and I'm enjoying having you around so I suppose, if you're longing to be human again, perhaps it would be better if you thought you'd always been a parrot. Wouldn't that be a better solution?"
James was horrified. Surely, she wouldn't do that to him, would she? He squawked again and screeched "No, Mistress Elspeth, not that. Please James is sorry. James will be your parrot! James doesn't mind!"
"Oh, I think not, I can see you're just saying that to make me change my mind but I can't have an unhappy parrot so, let's see."
James watched in terror as Elspeth gave a flick of her wrist and muttered under her breath. He braced himself for the worst as a tingle washed over him, desperately trying to cling to his memories of being human. As far as he could tell a moment later, the spell hadn't worked because he could still remember being purchased from the pet shop and the excitement of seeing his new cage for the first time. He also still remembered Mistress Elspeth transforming him from a normal parrot into a real talking one, the pride of which made him fluff his feathers happily as he recalled the lessons she'd given him and the phrases she'd taught him to speak.
"So what do you think James? Do you remember being human?"
James squawked in amusement at this idea and said proudly "My name is James. I'm Mistress Elspeth's pet parrot".
"Of course you are, my pet" cooed the witch smugly to James as she fed him a peanut through the bars of his cage. "Now, I'm off out for the afternoon, do you need anything before I go?"
James considered briefly and looked around his cage but couldn't think of anything so he replied "James is a happy parrot, Mistress Elspeth".
"Of course you are James. Now be a good boy and stay in your cage and I'll see you later." James felt so happy to have such a devoted mistress that he cocked his head on one side and squawked again happily as she left the room.