FIRST OWL There comes the Mole! THE CUCKOO Cuckoo! FIRST OWL [_To the_ MOLE.] And you, why do you hate him? THE MOLE I hate him because I have never seen him! THE CUCKOO Cuckoo! FIRST OWL And you, Cuckoo, do you know why you hate him? THE CUCKOO [_On the last stroke._] Because he does not have to be wound up! Cuckoo! FIRST OWL And we do not love-- SECOND OWL [_Hurriedly._] We are keeping the others waiting-- ALL --the Cock, because--[_They fly off. Silence._] THE PHEASANT-HEN [_Coming slowly from behind the kennel._] I am beginning to love him! CURTAIN ACT SECOND THE MORNING OF THE COCK _Wild hillside, moss-grown and ferny, overlooking a valley with scattered villages and winding river. Ruined wall, fragment of some vanished terrace. Gigantic chestnut tree, rank hollies and foxgloves. Litter suggesting neglected corner of a park: gardening implements lying on the ground, fagots, broken flower-pots._ SCENE FIRST _The_ NIGHT-BIRDS, _of all sorts and sizes, form a great circle, perching in tiers on the branches, the briers, the stones; the_ CAT _crouches in the grass; the_ BLACKBIRD _hops hither and thither on a fagot._ _At the rise of the curtain the_ NIGHT-BIRDS _are discovered, motionless, black shapes with closed eyes. The_ GRAND DUKE _is perched upon a tree branch above the rest. The_ SCREECH-OWL’S _phosphorescent eyes alone are wide open. He proceeds with the roll-call, and at every name two great round eyes brighten in the dark._ THE SCREECH-OWL [_Calling._] Strix! [_Two eyes light up._] Scops! [_Two more eyes light up._] Grand-Duke! [_Two more eyes._] Metascops! [_Two more eyes._] Minor! [_Two more eyes._] ONE NIGHT-BIRD [_To the other._] The Great Bubo presides. THE SCREECH-OWL [_Calling._] Owl of the Wall! Of the Belfry! Of the Cloister! Of the Yew! [_At every name two more eyes have opened wide._] A NIGHT-BIRD [_To another just arriving._] The roll is called! THE OTHER I know. All there is to do is to open our eyes. THE SCREECH-OWL Asio! Nictea! Nyctalis! [_Three more pairs of eyes have opened._] Brachyotus! [_No eye opening at the name, he repeats._] Brachyotus! ONE OF THE NIGHT-BIRDS He will be here directly. He stopped to eat a linnet. BRACHYOTUS [_Arriving._] Present! THE SCREECH-OWL Not one of them would miss, when the meeting relates to the Cock! BRACHYOTUS Not one! THE SCREECH-OWL Carine! [_Two eyes open._] Caparacoch! [_No eye opening, he repeats emphatically._] Ca-pa-ra-coch!--Well?--Well? CAPARACOCH [_Arriving out of breath, opens his eyes, faltering an excuse. _] I live a long way off! THE SCREECH-OWL [_Dryly._] You should have started the earlier! [_Looking around._] We are all present, I believe. [_Calling._] Flammeolus! And Flammeoline! [_All the eyes are now open._] THE GRAND-DUKE [_Solemnly._] Before beginning, let us give, but not too loud, the cry which makes us all as one!