Among the Farmyard PeoplePierson, Clara Dillingham
History
Among the Farmyard People
Pierson, Clara Dillingham
Animals -- Juvenile fiction; Children's stories; Farm life -- Juvenile fiction; Natural history -- Juvenile fiction
The Turkey Gobbler never could stand it to have others speak in that way
when he was around, so he thought he would show the newcomer how
important he was. He drew up his neck and puffed out his chest; he
pulled his skin muscles by thinking about them, and that made his
feathers stand on end; next he dropped his wings until their tips
touched the ground; then he slowly spread his tail. "Pffff!" said he. "I
am no Peacock. I am a Turkey Gobbler."
The Hen Turkeys looked at each other with much pride. They were a little
afraid of him themselves, but they liked to have him show the newcomer
that Turkeys are important people. Their children looked at each other
and murmured, "Isn't the Gobbler fine though? Guess the Peacock will
wish now that he hadn't put on airs."
But the Peacock did not seem to feel at all sorry. He stood and looked
at them all without saying a word, and they all wondered what he was
thinking. Then a Duckling who stood near him exclaimed, "Look at his
train! Oh, look at his train!" Everybody looked and saw all those
beautiful long feathers rising into the air. Up and up they went, and
spreading as they rose, until there was a wonderful great circle of them
back of his body and reaching far above his head. The Gobbler's spread
tail looked as small beside this as a Dove's egg would beside that of a
Goose.
"Paon!" said the Peacock. "I am no Turkey Gobbler. I am a Peacock."
"Pffff!" said the Gobbler. Then he turned to the Hen Turkeys. "My
dears," he said, "I think it is time that we walked along. The children
should not be allowed to see and speak with any stray fowl that comes
along. We cannot be too particular about that." Then he stalked off,
with the meek Hen Turkeys following and the children lagging behind.
They did so want to stay and see the Peacock, and they thought the
Ducklings and Goslings were much luckier than they.
The Geese were delighted with the newcomer, and hoped he would be quite
friendly with them. They wished he were a swimmer, but of course they
could tell with one look that he was not. He did not have the trim,
boat-shaped body that swimmers have, and then, his feet were not webbed.
The Gander noticed that they were remarkably homely feet. He thought he
would remember this and speak of it to the Geese some time when they
were praising the Peacock's train.
The Drake was the first to speak politely to the Peacock. "We are glad
to meet you, sir," he said. "Will you be with us long?"
"Thank you," answered the Peacock. "I have come to stay."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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