Billy Shakespeare

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Billy Shakespeare
  Gender  Male  
  Allies  Malcolm Fentriss(owner)  
  Enemies  Claudius (formerly)  
  First Appearance  The Mystery of the Stuttering Parrot.  
  Line in clue  "To-to-to be or not to-to-to be, that is the question."  

Billy Shakespeare was one of the six parrots that were trained by John Silver to speak the clues that led to the hidden painting that was smuggled by Silver, and was owned by Malcolm Fentriss. Its line in the clue was, "To-to-to be, or not to-to-to be, that is the question." This stuttered quote from "Hamlet" cleverly hints to the residence of Sherlock Holmes, as well, and meant that the graveyard's address was 222B Baker Street, if Little Bo-Peep's clue was solved along with it.

History[edit | edit source]

After John Silver had fled to California after smuggling the painting of the shepherdess, he started living in Ramos Sanchez's house. After getting an idea from the picture that was painted over the shepherdess, Silver bought seven parrots with "pretty yellow heads" and seven cages. He then began teaching them their individual riddles.

After Silver had died, Sanchez waited for the "fat man" who Silver said would come. However, the man didn't come, and all the parrots, including Billy Shakespeare, were sold to different people.

Plot[edit | edit source]

After Claudius came to know about Ramos Sanchez selling the parrots, he found Billy in Malcolm Fentriss' house. Fearing that the owner wouldn't sell the parrot this time, he stole Billy. However, Billy refused to talk to Claudius.

Some time later, Skinny Norris helped Huganay find the parrots and Claudius, and take them for himself.

After the entire mystery was solved, Claudius returned Billy to his owner, Fentriss.

Trivia[edit | edit source]

  • He was named after William Shakespeare, the poet and playwright.
  • His speech was Part 2 of the riddle.
  • In Polish translation he was referring to Baker Street 333B.

See also[edit | edit source]