It was in the spring time. There came a young cuckoo flying over the uplands. Now the cuckoo is an adventurer. There was a great Bird-Parliament on the meadow beneath him, and both wild and tame fowl flocked to it. They came tripping out of the hen-yards; they waddled up from the goose-ponds; down, from Stonelee hulked a fat capercailzie, flying low and noisily; he settled down, and ruffled his feathers and flapped his wings, and made himself even broader than he was; and every now and then he crowed: “Krak, krak, krak!” as much as to say: I’m the game-cock from Stonelee, I am! THE CHAMBERLAIN. Capital! Hear, hear! STENSGÅRD. And then there was an old woodpecker. He bustled up and down the tree-trunks, pecking with his pointed beak, and gorging himself with grubs and everything that turns to gall. To right and left you heard him going: prik, prik, prik! And that was the woodpecker. ERIK. Excuse me, wasn’t it a stork, or a——?[16] HEIRE. Say no more! STENSGÅRD. That was the old woodpecker. But now there came life into the crew; for they found something to cackle evil about. And they flustered together, and cackled in chorus, until at last the young cuckoo began to join in the cackling—— FIELDBO. [_Unnoticed._] For God’s sake, man, be quiet! STENSGÅRD. Now it was an eagle they cackled about—an eagle who dwelt in lonely dignity upon a beetling cliff.[17] They were all agreed about him. “He’s a bugbear to the neighbourhood,” croaked a hoarse raven. But the eagle swooped down into their midst, seized the cuckoo, and bore him aloft to his eyrie.—Heart conquered heart! From that clear summit the adventurer-cuckoo looked far and wide over the lowlands; there he found sunshine and peace; and there he learned to judge aright the swarm from the hen-yards and the clearings—— FIELDBO. [_Loudly._] Bravo, bravo! And now some music. THE CHAMBERLAIN. Hush! Don’t interrupt him. STENSGÅRD. Chamberlain Bratsberg—here my fable ends; and here I stand before you, in the presence of every one, to beg your forgiveness for last night. THE CHAMBERLAIN. [_Falls a step backwards._] Mine——? STENSGÅRD. I thank you for the magnanimous vengeance you have taken for my senseless words. In me you have henceforth a faithful champion. And now, ladies and gentlemen, I drink the health of the eagle on the mountain-top—the health of Chamberlain Bratsberg. THE CHAMBERLAIN. [_Clutching at the table._] Thank you, Mr.—Mr. Stensgård. THE GUESTS. [_For the most part in painful embarrassment._] The Chamberlain! Chamberlain Bratsberg!