PATOU [_Shaking his surly head, and a bit of broken chain hanging from his collar._] Chantecler told me everything Blackbird, as he went by. In a towering rage I broke my chain, and am here to keep an eye on the wicked lot of you. THE GUINEA-HEN [_To the_ BLACKBIRD.] Has he invited himself to my party, that moth-eaten old thing? CHORUS [_Among the trees._] _Our praises, Sun, our praises!_ THE PHEASANT-HEN [_Looking upward._] Music? THE GUINEA-HEN The Cicadas! CHORUS OF CICADAS _We simmer in thy gaze, We bask beneath thy blaze, Receive our grateful praise!_ 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!