house to be made into a duster for the parlor. I never give away any
but my cast-off plumage. I am so very, very beautiful that I do not have
to work."

This impressed the Geese very much. "We are glad to know you. Quite
honored, we assure you!"

The Peacock bowed his crested head, and they bowed their uncrested and
very silly ones, and then they went to the river. The Peacock thought
them most agreeable, because they admired him, and they thought him the
best sort of acquaintance, because he didn't work. It was all very
foolish, but there are always foolish people in the world, you know, and
it is much better to be amused by it and a little sorry for them, than
for us to lose our tempers and become cross about it. That was the way
the Shanghais, Black Spanish, Dorking, and Bantam fowls felt. They were
polite enough to the newcomer, but they did not run after him. The
Chickens used to laugh when the Peacock uttered his cry of "Paon! Paon!"
His voice was harsh and disagreeable, and it did seem so funny to hear
such dreadful sounds coming from such a lovely throat.

The Black Spanish Cock reproved the Chickens sharply for this. "It is
very rude," said he, "to laugh at people for things they cannot help.
How would you like to have a Lamb follow you around and bleat, 'Look at
that Chicken! He has only two legs! Hello, little two-legs; how can you
walk?' It is just as bad for you to laugh at his harsh voice, because he
cannot help it. If he should say foolish and silly things, you might
laugh, because he could help that if he tried. Don't ever again let me
hear you laughing when he is just saying 'Paon.'"

The Chickens minded the Black Spanish Cock, for they knew he was right
and that he did not do rude things himself. They remembered everything
he said, too.

One day the Peacock was standing on the fence alone. He did this most of
the time. He usually stood with his back to the farmyard, so that people
who passed could see his train but not his feet. A party of young fowls
of all families came along. Their mothers had let them go off by
themselves, and they stopped to look at the Peacock.

"I do think you have the most beautiful tail, sir," said a Duckling,
giving her own little pointed one a sideways shake as she spoke.

"Please call it my train," said the Peacock. "It is beautiful and I am
very proud of it. Not every fowl can grow such a train as that."

[Illustration: THE PEACOCK WAS STANDING ON THE FENCE.]

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