Purrier leaped in softly and lay beside him. "Oh this is cold," said
he. Then he went to the other side and lay down. "Oh, this is cold
also," and he rose up shivering. Then he poked his paw under the fox
and whispered--"Ha, ha, this is warm. The selfish fellow--it is just
like him to choose the warmest spot. Come and judge for yourself, poor
neglected Stupidify."
The goose jumped in clumsily and fell on her fat breast. Then she
poked her beak under Crafticus and found it to be as the cat had said.
It never struck her that the heat came from the fox's own body.
"Now, demand your rights," said Purrier, "demand a share of the
comfortable spot," and he went away and lay down among the dried grass.
"I want my rights," cried the goose, in the fox's ear.
"What?" said Crafticus, rubbing his eyes.
"I want my rights, I want you to move."
"You have got your rights and double your rights. You can rest on
either side of me and I have only the centre."
"I want my share of the warm part."
"How can the centre be warmer than the sides?"
"Let me try," said the goose.
"All right, but it is very disturbing," replied the fox, and he rose up
and let the goose sit down.
"It is just as I felt with my beak, it is the warmest spot, and you
can't deny it. Now, I want my share of it."
"You won't get it, your request is absurd," and he pushed her aside.
Then he lay down and buried his eyes in his tail, as if trying to sleep.
Stupidify looked as if she might give in.
"Demand your rights," cried Purrier, in a shrill menacing voice; "the
king is on your side," he added, with an emphatic yell.
"I want my rights," cried the goose, encouraged to quarrelsomeness, and
she bit Crafticus on the ear.
"Stupidify," said the fox, slowly raising his head, "you are breaking
my rest. Don't you know that I have to run in the king's chamois chase
to-morrow, and that I need all the sleep I can get?"
"The king is my friend," answered the goose with a chuckle and a
stubborn look.
"Do let me alone," rejoined the fox, as he buried his face again in his
tail. But it was no use.
"I want my rights, I want my rights," screamed the goose, and she went
on demanding them or scolding and hissing every now and then till
midnight.
At last Crafticus arose and said--"I can't stand this any longer. I
can't get any sleep, and I shall be quite unfit for the king's chase."
Then turning to the goose he cried--"Wretch, you have provoked me to
kill you, and you have yourself to blame"; and having said this, he
seized Stupidify by the neck and killed her.
Purrier now sprang from his bed and leaped into the box beside
Crafticus, and they had a right royal feast together. They chatted and
laughed, and Purrier told what he said to the goose when he met her and
walked with her towards the barn.
"You have done well, Purrier, and I'll never forget you."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account