Now, of course Davie had not expected the wren to answer him. But the bird turned her head on one side, and, looking up at Davie, said: [Illustration: The Little Bantam Hen.] "Yes, of course it was me! Who else did you suppose it could be?" "Oh yes!" said Davie, very much astonished. "Oh yes, of course! But I thought you only did it in the song!" "Well," said the wren, "were not you singing the song, and am not I in the song, and what else could I do?" "Yes, I suppose so," said Davie. "Well, go, then," said the wren, "and don't bother me." Davie felt very queer. He stopped a moment, but soon thought that he must do as he was bid, and he began to sing again: "I bought a hen, and my hen pleased me; I tied my hen behind a tree; Hen said----" "Shinny-shack! shinny-shack!" interrupted another voice, so loudly that Davie's heart gave a great thump, as he turned around. There, behind the wren, stood a little Bantam hen, and around her neck was a little golden cord that fastened her to the wren's leg. [Illustration: The Speckled Guinea-Hen.] "I suppose that was you?" said Davie. "Yes, indeed," replied the hen. "I know when my time comes in, in a song. But it was provoking for you to call me away from my chicks." "I?" cried Davie. "I didn't call you!" "Oh, indeed!" said the Bantam. "It wasn't you, then, who were singing 'Tied my hen,' just now! Oh no, not you!" "I'm sorry," said Davie. "I didn't mean to." "Well, go on, then," said the little hen, "and don't bother." Davie was so full of wonder that he did not know what to think of it all. He went back to his seat, and sang again: "I had a guinea, and my guinea pleased me; I tied my guinea behind a tree----" [Illustration: The Duck.] But here he stopped, with his mouth wide open; for up a tiny brown path that led into the wood, came a little red man about a foot high, dressed in green, and leading by a long yellow string a plump, speckled guinea-hen! The little old man came whistling along until he reached the Bantam, when he fastened the yellow string to her leg, and went back again down the path, and disappeared among the trees. Davie looked and wondered. Presently, the guinea stretched out her neck and called to him in a funny voice: "Why in the world don't you go on? Do you think I want to wait all day for my turn to come?" Davie began to sing again: "Guinea said----" "Pot-rack! pot-rack!" instantly squeaked the speckled guinea-hen. Davie jumped up. He was fairly frightened now. But his courage soon came back. "I'm not afraid," he said to himself; "I'll see what the end of this song will be!"--and he began to sing again: "I bought a duck, and my duck pleased me; I tied my duck behind a tree; Duck said----" "Quack! quack!" came from around the oak. But Davie went on: [Illustration: The Dog.] "I bought a dog, and the dog pleased me; I tied my dog behind a tree; Dog said----"