FOX.  You do not like Peter.

JACOB.  Oh, you know that, do you?

FOX.  Oh, yes, I know!  Now will you help me to get his chickens?

JACOB.  What can I do?

Fox.  Put meal on me, till I am white.  Then the chickens will think I am a miller.

JACOB.  Ah, that is fine!  Wait here.

[He enters the mill.]

FOX.  He has gone for meal!  Ha, ha, ha, ha!

[JACOB comes out with a club.]

JACOB.  Now go!  Go, sir!

FOX.  Why, what is this?  I said I would eat Peter’s chickens.

JACOB.  Yes, but you mean to eat mine.  Now go!  Go, or I will beat you!

[The Fox runs quickly away.]

THE VAIN JACKDAW

TIME:  last summer.
PLACE:  a public park.

* * * * *

VAIN JACKDAW. 
OLD JACKDAW. 
YOUNG JACKDAW. 
OTHER JACKDAWS. 
PEACOCKS.

* * * * *

[The JACKDAWS are seen in the park.]

OLD JACKDAW.  Come, jackdaws!  We must have our breakfast.  Come!

[The Vain Jackdaw stops to look at something on the ground.]

(To Vain Jackdaw.)

Come, no one should stop to look at anything!  Come!

YOUNG JACKDAW.  Just look at him.  He takes up feathers!

VAIN JACKDAW (to himself).  How fine I would look in these peacock feathers!

ANOTHER JACKDAW.  See how he sticks the feathers in among his own!

YOUNG JACKDAW.  See how he struts about in them!

OLD JACKDAW.  My son, take off those feathers!

VAIN JACKDAW.  It pleases me to wear them.

OLD JACKDAW.  Take them off, I say!

VAIN JACKDAW.  I will not take them off!

OLD JACKDAW.  Then you cannot stay with us.

VAIN JACKDAW.  I do not wish to stay with jackdaws.  I will not walk with jackdaws.  I will not talk with jackdaws.  I think myself too fine for jackdaws.

OLD JACKDAW.  Then, jackdaws, we will think no more about him.  Come, now, to find our breakfast!  Come!

[They go.  The PEACOCKS enter.]

VAIN JACKDAW.  Good-morning, brothers.

PEACOCKS.  Ha, ha, ha!

VAIN JACKDAW.  Why do you laugh so, brothers?

PEACOCKS.  Ha, ha, ha!

VAIN JACKDAW.  You must not laugh, dear brothers.  I am a peacock like yourselves.

FIRST PEACOCK.  You silly jackdaw!

VAIN JACKDAW.  I am no jackdaw.  Do I not have feathers like your own?

SECOND PEACOCK.  Ha, ha!  I dropped them on the ground this morning.

THIBAUD PEACOCK.  Let’s take them from him!

[Illustration]

VAIN JACKDAW.  No, no!  I beg you—­

FIRST PEACOCK.  Come, let’s pull them out!

[They pull the peacock feathers from the jackdaw.]