THE YOUNG GUINEA-COCK [Low and quickly to his mother.] Tsicadas, mother.  You must pronounce it Tsi!

A MAGPIE [In black coat and white tie, announcing the guests as they arrive through a hole such as Chickens dig at the foot of hedges.] The Gander!

THE GANDER [Entering, jocularly.] What’s all this fuss and feathers my lady?  Our names called as we enter?

THE GUINEA-HEN [Demurely.] Yes, you see, expecting some rather great people, I thought it well to stand an usher at the blackthorn door.

THE MAGPIE
[Announcing.] The Duck!

THE DUCK [Entering, impressed by the elegance of the occasion.] Here is style and grandeur indeed!  Our names called!

THE GUINEA-HEN
Yes, you see, expecting some rather great people—­

THE MAGPIE
The Turkey-hen!

THE TURKEY-HEN [Entering, after a supercilious glance.] This is quite more of an affair, my dear, than I was anticipating.—­Names called!

THE GUINEA-HEN
Yes, I had in the Magpie to supplement my usual staff.

CHORUS
[Among blossoming branches.]
  Boom!  Boom! 
  From bloom to bloom!

THE TURKEY-HEN
[Lifting her bill.] A Chorus?

THE GUINEA-HEN
[Breezily.] The Bees!

CHORUS
  Make distant flowers
  Bride and groom!

THE TURKEY-HEN
Wonders on every side!

THE GUINEA-HEN
The Bees here, the Tsicadas yonder—­[To a passing HEN.] How do you do? 
How do you do?

BEES
[At the right.]
  Boom!

CICADAS
[At the left.]
  Our praises!

BEES
  Boom!

CICADAS
  Our praises!

THE GUINEA-HEN [To the PHEASANT-HEN.] My garden produces the most remarkable of everything!

THE YOUNG GUINEA-COCK
The brightest flowers!

THE GUINEA-HEN
The big potatoes!

THE BLACKBIRD
And peaches!  Perfect peaches!

THE PHEASANT-HEN [Inconvenienced by the movement and the crowd, to the BLACKBIRD.] Let us stand out of the crowd a moment, behind this watering-pot.

THE BLACKBIRD The watering-pot, alias the Intermittent Baldpate, so called because there flows from his copper scalp when he is tilted a marvelous growth of silver hair.

THE GUINEA-HEN [Spying the CAT, who, outstretched along an apple-bough is watching with half-closed eyes.] I have among my guests the Cat.

THE BLACKBIRD
Tomkyns de Tomkyns! [A BIRD is heard warbling in a tree.]

THE GUINEA-HEN
I have the Chaffinch!

THE BLACKBIRD
Let him chaff inchworms, what care we?

THE GUINEA-HEN
The Darning-needle!

THE BLACKBIRD
She shall mend up Ragged Robin, now’s his chance!