THE DOG (_prowling round the_ OAK _and showing his fangs_) Do you see my teeth, you old cripple?... THE BEECH (_indignantly_) He is insulting the Oak!... THE OAK Is that the Dog?... Drive him out! We must suffer no traitors among us!... THE CAT (_aside, to_ TYLTYL) Send the Dog away.... It's a misunderstanding.... Leave it to me; I will arrange things.... But send him away as quick as you can.... TYLTYL (_to the_ DOG) Will you be off!... THE DOG Do let me worry the gouty old beggar's moss slippers!.... It will be such a joke!... TYLTYL Hold your tongue!... And be off with you!... Be off, you ugly brute!... THE DOG All right, all right, I'm going.... I'll come back when you want me.... THE CAT (_aside, to_ TYLTYL) It would be a good thing to chain him up, or he will commit some folly; the Trees will be angry and all will end badly.... TYLTYL What can I do?... I have lost his leash.... THE CAT Here's the Ivy just coming along with strong bonds.... THE DOG (_growling_) I'll come back, I'll come back!... Ugh! Goutytoes! Timbertoes!... Pack of old stunted growths, pack of old roots!... It's the Cat who's at the bottom of all this!... I'll be even with him!... What have you been whispering about, you sneak, you tiger, you Judas!... Wow, wow, wow!.... THE CAT You see, he insults everybody.... TYLTYL Yes, he is unbearable and one can't hear one's self speak.... Mr. Ivy, will you chain him up, please?... THE IVY (_timorously going up to the_ DOG) Won't he bite?... THE DOG (_growling_) On the contrary, on the contrary!... He's going to kiss you!... Just wait and see!... Come along, come along, you old ball of twine, you!... TYLTYL (_threatening him with his stick_) Tylô!... THE DOG (_cringing at_ TYLTYL'S _feet and wagging his tail_) What am I to do, my little god? TYLTYL Lie down flat!... Obey the Ivy.... Let him bind you, or.... THE DOG (_growling between his teeth, while the_ IVY _binds him_) Ball of twine I... Hunk of yarn!... Hangman's rope I... Calves' leash!... Look, my little god I ... He's cutting my paws!... He's choking me!... TYLTYL I don't care!... It's your own fault.... Hold your tongue; be quiet; you're unbearable!... THE DOG You're wrong, for all that.... They mean mischief.... Take care, my little god!... He's closing my mouth!... I can't speak!... THE IVY (_who has tied up the_ DOG _like a parcel_) Where shall we put him?... I've muzzled him finely.... He can't utter a word.... THE OAK Fasten him tight down there behind my trunk; to my big root.... We will decide later what had best be done with him.... (_The_ IVY _and the_ POPLAR _carry the_ DOG _behind the_ OAK'S _trunk_.)