He was interrupted by Gander, who screamed:
"It's a mushroom. I have seen mushrooms just like this, only they had no needles."
Everybody laughed loudly at the Gander.
"It looks more like a hat," someone ventured to say, but this remark, too, met with laughter.
"A hat has no eyes."
"Let us waste no time in empty conversation. Let us act," decided the Rooster for everybody. "Hey, you thing full of needles, you speak for yourself! What sort of beast are you? I like no fooling. Do you hear?"
As there was no answer, the Rooster felt insulted, and threw himself upon the unknown offender. He tried to peck him once or twice but stepped aside, abashed.
"It is nothing but a huge pine cone," he said. "Nothing tasty about it. Would someone like to try?"
Everybody chattered, saying the first thing that occurred to him.
There was no end to the different opinions. Turkey Gobbler was the only silent one. All the others chattered while he listened to their foolishness. They clattered and chattered for a long time, until someone shouted: