“Oh, dear!” laughed the cat.  “I certainly shall scream.  They all think they are handsomer than their reflections.  Here comes the turkey gobbler.  Let us see what he does.”

The gobbler walked slowly over to the mirror and looked at his reflection.

“Now,” he asked, “where in the world did they get you?  You are an old, bald-headed creature, and your feathers need oiling.  You look like a last year’s turkey.”  And off he strutted.

The cat and the dog leaned against the barrels and laughed until the tears ran down their faces.

“Keep still,” said the dog.  “Here comes speckled hen and her chickens.”

Speckled hen walked around, picking up bits of corn.  Suddenly she looked up and saw the mirror.

“There is a hen with a brood of chicks, but they are not so handsome as mine,” she said, walking toward the looking-glass.  “Where do you live?  I know you do not belong here.”  And she looked closer at the other hen.

Click!  Her bill hit the glass.

“Well, if she isn’t in a glass coop!” the hen said, stepping back.  “If master has bought her and those chicks, there will be trouble.  Mercy!  One of the chicks is bow-legged, and they are a skinny looking lot.”

Then she clucked to her chicks and walked out of the barn.

“Oh, dear!  Oh, dear!” laughed the dog; “they all think the same.  They certainly are a conceited lot.  Here comes the goose.”

III

The goose waddled over to the mirror.

“Well, well!  If there isn’t a new goose!” she said, “and she is walking toward me.  I must be friendly.”

Snap!  Her bill struck the mirror.

“Oh, you are in a glass box!” she said.  “Have you come to stay?” And she stretched out her neck.

“My, but you have a long neck!” she went on, “and your feathers are nice and smooth.  I suppose you cannot hear in that box.”

Then she walked away, nodding good-by.  The other goose, of course, nodded also, and goosey went away satisfied.

“She is not so much of a goose as the others,” the cat remarked.

“The peacock is coming,” said the dog.  “Keep quiet.”

In walked the peacock.  Seeing another bird, as he supposed, he spread his beautiful tail to its full width.  He walked about, but never a word did he say.

“Now, what do you make out of that?” asked the dog.  “Did he know that he was looking in a looking-glass, or wouldn’t he speak to another bird?”

“I do not know,” said the cat, “but here comes the goat.  Hide, quick!”

Billy was clattering over the boards, when suddenly he saw the other goat.  He looked at him a minute.  “I’ll show him,” he said, running at the mirror with head down.

[Illustration:  The goat crashes into the mirror]

Bang!  Smash!  Crash! and Billy jumped back, a very much astonished goat.