THE OAK Who speaks?...
THE CAT It's the Bull.
THE COW It would be better to keep quiet.... I won't meddle with it.... I have all the grass to browse in the field which you can see down there in the blue light of the moon.... I have quite enough to do....
THE OX I also.... However, I agree to everything beforehand....
THE BEECH I can offer my highest branch to hang them on....
THE IVY And I the slip-knot....
THE FIR-TREE And I the four planks for their little coffin....
THE CYPRESS And I a perpetual grant of a tomb....
THE WILLOW The simplest way would be to drown them in one of my rivers.... I will take charge of that....
THE LIME-TREE (in a conciliatory tone) Come, come.... Is it really necessary to go to such extremities?... They are very young.... We could quite simply prevent them from doing any harm by keeping them prisoners in an enclosure which I will undertake to form by planting myself all around....