"How so," hooted out the whole junto—"you would not fight the king of birds?"
"Let me alone for that; there are better weapons than beak or talons; and so he and his subjects shall find. But you must all aid in the enterprise."
"If there be no fighting, and not too much labour, and not too much——"
"Peace! there shall be nothing but sleeping!"
"Sleeping?"
"Ay! and some talking. But leave that to me."
Here all the heavy heads poked forward, closing in a circle round their Nestor; while all their great round eyes opened in full stare upon his.
"To-morrow you must all sleep as usual, until I give a long hoot; then you must all open your eyes and observe what shall chance."
Tired with so unusual a debate, all went to sleep accordingly, and snored louder than usual; until, just as the sun had awakened to full life and stir all the feathered tribe, the old owl hooted and screeched forth such a yell, as first terrified and then attracted on wings, spurred by curiosity, though still trembling with fear, every bird of the air from the giant eagle to the diminutive wren.
"A vision! a vision!" cried the owl; and again he screeched and again he hooted, rustling up all his feathers, flapping his wings, blinking his eyes, and tumbling head over tail like a bird distracted.