Vogel was the prettiest, Zimmerman the biggest and sauciest, and Zadkiel by far the wisest of the trio.
In the picture with which our artist has presented us, Vogel is standing in the centre, Zimmerman is lying on the left, while the far-seeing, deep-thinking Zadkiel is sitting on the right.
An impudent sparrow has just alighted on the puppies' pan, and is coolly helping himself to what has been left from breakfast.
"Delicious!" the sparrow is saying. "I'm the king of all the birds in the creation. Everybody admires me, I build in the choicest apple-trees, and feed on the daintiest food. Farmers cut down their hay that I may make my nest, farmers' wives kill the fowls that I may find feathers to line it, and even the cows cast their coats to aid in the same good work. Why, you little puppies, don't you admire me also, you ridiculous-looking fluffy things?"
"I admire your profound impudence," Zimmerman is saying.
"I am astonished at your daring audacity," Vogel is remarking.
But Zadkiel is thinking. "I dare say," he says at last, "that even such a wretched mite of a bird as you must have been meant for some good purpose. To pick up the grubs and the green flies perhaps."
"Absurd," cries the sparrow, and off he flies in disgust.
Then the pups forget all about it, and begin to lick each other's noses and toes—I was nearly saying toeses—in the funniest way imaginable. After that they go in for one of the most terrible sham fights that has ever been fought.
"You'll be a badger, Zadkiel," cries Vogel, "and Zimmerman and I will worry you to death."