I
Aunt Susan sent an old-fashioned looking-glass to the barn to be stored in the loft, with other old furniture. The farm boy stood it on the floor of the barn until he should have time to put it away. The mirror was broad and long, and it was set in a dark wooden frame.
An old duck wandered into the barn and caught sight of herself in the mirror. "There is another duck," she said. "I wonder who she is."
And she walked toward the reflection. "She is rather friendly," the duck went on. "She is walking toward me. What large feet she has, but her feathers are very handsome."
Just then she bumped into the mirror. "Goodness!" she cried; "if that duck isn't in a glass case! Why are you in there?"
"Well, you needn't answer if you don't want to," she said, walking away. "A glass case is a good place for you."
Just then a pig came along, and nosing around, he came in front of the mirror.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, thinking he saw another pig. His nose hit the glass, and he stepped back.
"So you are in a glass pen," he said. "You are not very handsome, and your nose is not so long as mine; I cannot see why you should have a glass pen."
And away he trotted to tell the other pigs about the very plain-looking pig.
Kitty came along next and walked in front of the mirror, turning her head and swinging her tail. She had seen a mirror before and knew what it was. The cat wished to look in the mirror, but she saw the dog coming in the door, and she did not want him to think her vain.
The dog walked over to the mirror and gazed in it. Then he looked foolish, although he had seen a mirror before, too, but not so often as puss.
"Thought it was another dog, didn't you?" she laughed. "Here comes the donkey. Let us hide behind those barrels and see what he does."