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diff --git a/25299-h/25299-h.htm b/25299-h/25299-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7f5c926 --- /dev/null +++ b/25299-h/25299-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,13097 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1" /> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of Wood Magic, by Richard Jefferies</title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; + } + hr { width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; + } + + body{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + + .bbox {border: solid 2px; padding: 10px; } + + .center {text-align: center;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + + .figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center;} + ins.correction {border-bottom-style: dotted; + color: red; + border-bottom-width: 1px + } + .footnotes {border: dashed 1px;} + .footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + .footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} + .fnanchor {vertical-align: super; font-size: .8em; text-decoration: none;} + + hr.full { width: 100%; + margin-top: 3em; + margin-bottom: 0em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + height: 4px; + border-width: 4px 0 0 0; /* remove all borders except the top one */ + border-style: solid; + border-color: #000000; + clear: both; } + pre {font-size: 85%;} + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> +</head> +<body> +<h1>The Project Gutenberg eBook, Wood Magic, by Richard Jefferies, Illustrated +by Eleanor Vere Boyle</h1> +<pre> +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at <a href = "http://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a></pre> +<p>Title: Wood Magic</p> +<p> A Fable</p> +<p>Author: Richard Jefferies</p> +<p>Release Date: May 2, 2008 [eBook #25299]</p> +<p>Language: English</p> +<p>Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1</p> +<p>***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WOOD MAGIC***</p> +<p> </p> +<h3>E-text prepared by Malcolm Farmer<br /> + and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team<br /> + (http://www.pgdp.net)</h3> +<p> </p> +<p class="bbox"> +Transcriber's note:<br /> +<br /> +Obvious minor typesetting errors in punctuation have been silently corrected.<br /> +<br /> +Other possible errors have been corrected. These changes appear in red with +underscoring; hovering the cursor over such text will reveal a note explaining +the change. +</p> +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" /> +<p> </p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 450px;"> +<img src="images/illus-frontis.png" width="450" height="586" alt="frontispiece" title="" /> +</div> + +<h1>WOOD MAGIC</h1> + +<p style="text-align: center">A Fable</p> + +<h3>BY</h3> + +<h2>RICHARD JEFFERIES</h2> + +<p style="font-size: smaller; text-align: center">AUTHOR OF "THE GAMEKEEPER AT HOME," "FIELD AND HEDGEROW,"<br /> +"THE TOILERS OF THE FIELD," ETC.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/illus-title.png" width="400" height="274" alt="title image" title="" /> +</div> + +<p style="text-align: center"><i>NEW IMPRESSION</i></p> + + +<p style="text-align: center">LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO.</p> + +<p style="text-align: center">39 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON</p> + +<p style="text-align: center">NEW YORK, BOMBAY, AND CALCUTTA</p> + +<p style="text-align: center">1907</p> + +<p style="text-align: center"><i>All rights reserved</i></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="BIBLIOGRAPHICAL_NOTE" id="BIBLIOGRAPHICAL_NOTE"></a><i>BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE.</i></h3> + +<p style="text-align: center"><i>First published, 2 vols., post 8vo, by Cassell & Co., in<br /> +1881; Reissued by them in one volume in 1882.</i></p> + +<hr style="width: 15%;" /> + +<p style="text-align: center"><i>'Silver Library' Edition, June, 1883. Reprinted<br /> +September, 1894; January, 1899; February, 1903;<br /> +April, 1907.</i></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><i>Inscribed to Harold.</i></h2> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>CONTENTS.</h2> + +<p> +<a href="#CHAPTER_I"><b>I. <span class="smcap">Sir Bevis</span> </b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_II"><b>II. <span class="smcap">At Home</span> </b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_III"><b>III. <span class="smcap">Adventures of the Weasel</span> </b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_IV"><b>IV. <span class="smcap">Brook-Folk</span> </b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_V"><b>V. <span class="smcap">Kapchack</span> </b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_VI"><b>VI. <span class="smcap">The Squirrel</span> </b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_VII"><b>VII. <span class="smcap">The Courtiers</span> </b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_VIII"><b>VIII. <span class="smcap">The Emperor Choo Hoo</span></b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_IX"><b>IX. <span class="smcap">The Council</span> </b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_X"><b>X. <span class="smcap">Traitors</span></b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XI"><b>XI. <span class="smcap">The Storm in the Night</span> </b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XII"><b>XII. <span class="smcap">The Old Oak.—The King's Despair</span></b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XIII"><b>XIII. <span class="smcap">The Courtship in the Orchard</span> </b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XIV"><b>XIV. <span class="smcap">The Great Battle</span> </b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XV"><b>XV. <span class="smcap">Palace Secrets</span> </b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XVI"><b>XVI. <span class="smcap">The New King</span></b></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XVII"><b>XVII. <span class="smcap">Sir Bevis and the Wind</span></b></a><br /> +</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="PREFATORY_NOTE" id="PREFATORY_NOTE"></a>PREFATORY NOTE.</h2> + + +<p>Little need be said as to this re-issue of <i>Wood Magic</i>. +It was originally published in two volumes, post 8vo, +by Messrs. Cassell & Co. in 1881, and re-issued by +them in one volume in 1882. The present edition is +reprinted from the original edition. The frontispiece +and vignette are drawn by the accomplished lady who +chooses to be known as E. V. B., whose illustrations to +the <i>Story Without an End</i> charmed many boys and girls +years ago, and I hope still fascinate their children.</p> + +<p>C. J. L.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>WOOD MAGIC.</h2> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I"></a>CHAPTER I.</h2> + +<h3>SIR BEVIS.</h3> + + +<p>One morning as little "Sir" Bevis [such was his pet +name] was digging in the farmhouse garden, he saw a +daisy, and throwing aside his spade, he sat down on +the grass to pick the flower to pieces. He pulled the +pink-tipped petals off one by one, and as they dropped +they were lost. Next he gathered a bright dandelion, +and squeezed the white juice from the hollow stem, +which drying presently, left his fingers stained with +brown spots. Then he drew forth a bennet from its +sheath, and bit and sucked it till his teeth were green +from the sap. Lying at full length, he drummed the +earth with his toes, while the tall grass blades tickled +his cheeks.</p> + +<p>Presently, rolling on his back, he drummed again +with his heels. He looked up at the blue sky, but +only for a moment, because the glare of light was too +strong in his eyes. After a minute, he turned on his +side, thrust out one arm, placed his head on it, and +drew up one knee, as if going to sleep. His little brown +wrist, bared by the sleeve shortening as he extended +his arm, bent down the grass, and his still browner +fingers played with the blades, and every now and then +tore one off.</p> + +<p>A flutter of wings sounded among the blossom on +an apple-tree close by, and instantly Bevis sat up, +knowing it must be a goldfinch thinking of building a +nest in the branches. If the trunk of the tree had not +been so big, he would have tried to climb it at once, +but he knew he could not do it, nor could he see the +bird for the leaves and bloom. A puff of wind came +and showered the petals down upon him; they fell +like snowflakes on his face and dotted the grass.</p> + +<p>Buzz! A great bumble-bee, with a band of red +gold across his back, flew up, and hovered near, wavering +to and fro in the air as he stayed to look at a flower.</p> + +<p>Buzz! Bevis listened, and knew very well what +he was saying. It was: "This is a sweet little garden, +my darling; a very pleasant garden; all grass and +daisies, and apple-trees, and narrow patches with +flowers and fruit-trees one side, and a wall and currant-bushes +another side, and a low box-hedge and a haha, +where you can see the high mowing grass quite underneath +you; and a round summer-house in the corner, +painted as blue inside as a hedge-sparrow's egg is +outside; and then another haha with iron railings, +which you are always climbing up, Bevis, on the fourth +side, with stone steps leading down to a meadow, +where the cows are feeding, and where they have left +all the buttercups standing as tall as your waist, sir. +The gate in the iron railings is not fastened, and besides, +there is a gap in the box-hedge, and it is easy to +drop down the haha wall, but that is mowing grass +there. You know very well you could not come to any +harm in the meadow; they said you were not to go +outside the garden, but that's all nonsense, and very +stupid. <i>I</i> am going outside the garden, Bevis. Good-morning, +dear." Buzz! And the great bumble-bee +flew slowly between the iron railings, out among the +buttercups, and away up the field.</p> + +<p>Bevis went to the railings, and stood on the lowest +bar; then he opened the gate a little way, but it +squeaked so loud upon its rusty hinges that he let it +shut again. He walked round the garden along beside +the box-hedge to the patch by the lilac trees; they +were single lilacs, which are much more beautiful than +the double, and all bowed down with a mass of bloom. +Some rhubarb grew there, and to bring it up the faster, +they had put a round wooden box on it, hollowed out +from the sawn butt of an elm, which was rotten within +and easily scooped. The top was covered with an old +board, and every time that Bevis passed he lifted up +the corner of the board and peeped in, to see if the +large red, swelling knobs were yet bursting.</p> + +<p>One of these round wooden boxes had been split +and spoilt, and half of it was left lying with the hollow +part downwards. Under this shelter a toad had his +house. Bevis peered in at him, and touched him with +a twig to make him move an inch or two, for he was +so lazy, and sat there all day long, except when it +rained. Sometimes the toad told him a story, but not +very often, for he was a silent old philosopher, and not +very fond of anybody. He had a nephew, quite a +lively young fellow, in the cucumber frame on the +other side of the lilac bushes, at whom Bevis also +peered nearly every day after they had lifted the frame +and propped it up with wedges.</p> + +<p>The gooseberries were no bigger than beads, but he +tasted two, and then a thrush began to sing on an ash-tree +in the hedge of the meadow. "Bevis! Bevis!" +said the thrush, and he turned round to listen: "My +dearest Bevis, have you forgotten the meadow, and the +buttercups, and the sorrel? You know the sorrel, don't +you, that tastes so pleasant if you nibble the leaf? And +I have a nest in the bushes, not very far up the hedge, +and you may take just one egg; there are only two yet. +But don't tell any more boys about it, or we shall not +have one left. That is a very sweet garden, but it is very +small. I like all these fields to fly about in, and the +swallows fly ever so much farther than I can; so far +away and so high, that I cannot tell you how they find +their way home to the chimney. But they will tell you, +if you ask them. Good-morning! I am going over the +brook."</p> + +<p>Bevis went to the iron railings and got up two bars, +and looked over; but he could not yet make up his +mind, so he went inside the summer-house, which had +one small round window. All the lower part of the blue +walls was scribbled and marked with pencil, where he +had written and drawn, and put down his ideas and +notes. The lines were somewhat intermingled, and +crossed each other, and some stretched out long distances, +and came back in sharp angles. But Bevis +knew very well what he meant when he wrote it all. +Taking a stump of cedar pencil from his pocket, one +end of it much gnawn, he added a few scrawls to the +inscriptions, and then stood on the seat to look out of +the round window, which was darkened by an old cobweb.</p> + +<p>Once upon a time there was a very cunning spider—a +very cunning spider indeed. The old toad by the +rhubarb told Bevis there had not been such a cunning +spider for many summers; he knew almost as much +about flies as the old toad, and caught such a great +number, that the toad began to think there would be +none left for him. Now the toad was extremely fond +of flies, and he watched the spider with envy, and grew +more angry about it every day.</p> + +<p>As he sat blinking and winking by the rhubarb in +his house all day long, the toad never left off thinking, +thinking, thinking about the spider. And as he kept +thinking, thinking, thinking, so he told Bevis, he recollected +that he knew a great deal about a good many +other things besides flies. So one day, after several weeks +of thinking, he crawled out of his house in the sunshine, +which he did not like at all, and went across the grass +to the iron railings, where the spider had then got his +web. The spider saw him coming, and being very proud +of his cleverness, began to taunt and tease him.</p> + +<p>"Your back is all over warts, and you are an old +toad," he said. "You are so old, that I heard the +swallows saying their great-great-great-grandmothers, +when they built in the chimney, did not know when +you were born. And you have got foolish, and past +doing anything, and so stupid that you hardly know +when it is going to rain. Why, the sun is shining +bright, you stupid old toad, and there isn't a chance of +a single drop falling. You look very ugly down there +in the grass. Now, don't you wish that you were me +and could catch more flies than you could eat? Why, I +can catch wasps and bees, and tie them up so tight with +my threads that they cannot sting nor even move their +wings, nor so much as wriggle their bodies. I am the +very cleverest and most cunning spider that ever lived."</p> + +<p>"Indeed, you are," replied the toad. "I have been +thinking so all the summer; and so much do I admire +you, that I have come all this way, across in the hot +sun, to tell you something."</p> + +<p>"Tell <i>me</i> something!" said the spider, much offended, +"<i>I</i> know everything."</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, honoured sir," said the toad; "you have +such wonderful eyes, and such a sharp mind, it is true +that you know everything about the sun, and the moon, +and the earth, and flies. But, as you have studied all +these great and important things, you could hardly see +all the very little trifles like a poor old toad."</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, I can. I know everything—everything!"</p> + +<p>"But, sir," went on the toad so humbly, "this is +such a little—such a very little—thing, and a spider +like you, in such a high position of life, could not mind +me telling you such a mere nothing."</p> + +<p>"Well, I don't mind," said the spider—"you may +go on, and tell me, if you like."</p> + +<p>"The fact is," said the toad, "while I have been +sitting in my hole, I have noticed that such a lot of +the flies that come into this garden presently go into the +summer-house there, and when they are in the summer-house, +they always go to that little round window, +which is sometimes quite black with them; for it is +the nature of flies to buzz over glass."</p> + +<p>"I do not know so much about that," said the +spider; "for I have never lived in houses, being an +independent insect; but it is possible you may be right. +At any rate, it is not of much consequence. You had +better go up into the window, old toad." Now this +was a sneer on the part of the spider.</p> + +<p>"But I can't climb up into the window," said the +toad; "all I can do is to crawl about the ground, but +you can run up a wall quickly. How I do wish I +was a spider, like you. Oh, dear!" And then the +toad turned round, after bowing to the clever spider, +and went back to his hole.</p> + +<p>Now the spider was secretly very much mortified +and angry with himself, because he had not noticed +this about the flies going to the window in the summer-house. +At first he said to himself that it was not +true; but he could not help looking that way now and +then, and every time he looked, there was the window +crowded with flies. They had all the garden to buzz +about in, and all the fields, but instead of wandering +under the trees, and over the flowers, they preferred to +go into the summer-house and crawl over the glass of +the little window, though it was very dirty from so +many feet. For a long time, the spider was too +proud to go there too; but one day such a splendid +blue-bottle fly got in the window and made such a tremendous +buzzing, that he could not resist it any more.</p> + +<p>So he left his web by the railings, and climbed up +the blue-painted wall, over Bevis's writings and marks, +and spun such a web in the window as had never +before been seen. It was the largest and the finest, and +the most beautifully-arranged web that had ever been +made, and it caught such a number of flies that the +spider grew fatter every day. In a week's time he was +so big that he could no longer hide in the crack he had +chosen, he was quite a giant; and the toad came +across the grass one night and looked at him, but the +spider was now so bloated he would not recognise the +toad.</p> + +<p>But one morning a robin came to the iron railings, +and perched on the top, and put his head a little on +one side, to show his black eye the better. Then he +flew inside the summer-house, alighted in the window, +and gobbled up the spider in an instant. The old toad +shut his eye and opened it again, and went on thinking, +for that was just what he knew would happen. Ever +so many times in his very long life he had seen spiders +go up there, but no sooner had they got fat than a +robin or a wren came in and ate them. Some of the +clever spider's web was there still when Bevis looked out +of the window, all dusty and draggled, with the skins +and wings of some gnats and a dead leaf entangled +in it.</p> + +<p>As he looked, a white butterfly came along the +meadow, and instantly he ran out, flung open the gate, +rushed down the steps, and taking no heed of the squeak +the gate made as it shut behind him, raced after the +butterfly.</p> + +<p>The tall buttercups brushed his knees, and bent on +either side as if a wind was rushing through them. A +bennet slipped up his knickerbockers and tickled his +leg. His toes only touched the ground, neither his +heels nor the hollow of his foot; and from so light +a pressure the grass, bowed but not crushed, rose up, +leaving no more mark of his passage than if a grasshopper +had gone by.</p> + +<p>Daintily fanning himself with his wings, the butterfly +went before Bevis, not yet knowing that he was +chased, but sauntering along just above the buttercups. +He peeped as he flew under the lids of the +flowers' eyes, to see if any of them loved him. There +was a glossy green leaf which he thought he should like +to feel, it looked so soft and satin-like. So he alighted +on it, and then saw Bevis coming, his hat on the very +back of his head, and his hand stretched out to catch +him. The butterfly wheeled himself round on the leaf, +shut up his wings, and seemed so innocent, till Bevis +fell on his knee, and then under his fingers there was +nothing but the leaf. His cheek flushed, his eye lit up, +and away he darted again after the butterfly, which +had got several yards ahead before he could recover +himself. He ran now faster than ever.</p> + +<p>"Race on," said the buttercups; "race on, Bevis; +that butterfly disdains us because we are so many, and +all alike."</p> + +<p>"Be quick," said a great moon-daisy to him; +"catch him, dear. I asked him to stay and tell me a +story, but he would not."</p> + +<p>"Never mind me," said the clover; "you may step +on me if you like, love."</p> + +<p>"But just look at me for a moment, pet, as you go +by," cried the purple vetch by the hedge.</p> + +<p>A colt in the field, seeing Bevis running so fast, +thought he too must join the fun, so he whisked his +tail, stretched his long floundering legs, and galloped +away. Then the mare whinnied and galloped too, and +the ground shook under her heavy hoofs. The cows +lifted their heads from gathering the grass close round +the slender bennets, and wondered why any one could +be so foolish as to rush about, when there was plenty +to eat and no hurry.</p> + +<p>The cunning deceitful butterfly, so soon as Bevis +came near, turned aside and went along a furrow. +Bevis, running in the furrow, caught his foot in the +long creepers of the crowfoot, and fell down bump, and +pricked his hand with a thistle. Up he jumped again, +red as a peony, and shouting in his rage, ran on so +quickly that he nearly overtook the butterfly. But +they were now nearer the other hedge. The butterfly, +frightened at the shouting and Bevis's resolution, rose +over the brambles, and Bevis stopping short flung his +hat at him. The hat did not hit the butterfly, but the +wind it made puffed him round, and so frightened him, +that he flew up half as high as the elms, and went into +the next field.</p> + +<p>When Bevis looked down, there was his hat, hung +on a branch of ash, far beyond his reach. He could +not touch the lowest leaf, jump as much as he would. +His next thought was a stone to throw, but there were +none in the meadow. Then he put his hand in his +jacket pocket for his knife, to cut a long stick. It was +not in that pocket, nor in the one on the other side, +nor in his knickers. Now the knife was Bevis's greatest +treasure—his very greatest. He looked all round bewildered, +and the tears rose in his eyes.</p> + +<p>Just then Pan, the spaniel, who had worked his +head loose from the collar and followed him, ran out of +the hedge between Bevis's legs with such joyful force, +that Bevis was almost overthrown, and burst into a fit +of laughter. Pan ran back into the hedge to hunt, +and Bevis, with tears rolling down his cheeks into +the dimples made by his smiles, dropped on hands and +knees and crept in after the dog under the briars. On +the bank there was a dead grey stick, a branch that had +fallen from the elms. It was heavy, but Bevis heaved +it up, and pushed it through the boughs and thrust his +hat off.</p> + +<p>Creeping out again, he put it on, and remembering +his knife, walked out into the field to search for it. +When Pan missed him, he followed, and presently +catching scent of a rabbit, the spaniel rushed down a +furrow, which happened to be the very furrow where +Bevis had tumbled. Going after Pan, Bevis found his +knife in the grass, where it had dropped when shaken +from his pocket by the jerk of his fall. He opened the +single blade it contained at once, and went back to the +hedge to cut a stick. As he walked along the hedge, +he thought the briar was too prickly to cut, and the +thorn was too hard, and the ash was too big, and the +willow had no knob, and the elder smelt so strong, and +the sapling oak was across the ditch, and out of reach, +and the maple had such rough bark. So he wandered +along a great way through that field and the next, and +presently saw a nut-tree stick that promised well, for +the sticks grew straight, and not too big.</p> + +<p>He jumped into the ditch, climbed half up the +mound, and began to cut away at one of the rods, +leaning his left arm on the moss-grown stole. The +bark was easily cut through, and he soon made a notch, +but then the wood seemed to grow harder, and the +chips he got out were very small. The harder the +wood, the more determined Bevis became, and he cut +and worked away with such force that his chest heaved, +his brow was set and frowning, and his jacket all green +from rubbing against the hazel. Suddenly something +passed between him and the light. He looked up, and +there was Pan, whom he had forgotten, in the hedge +looking down at him. "Pan! Pan!" cried Bevis. +Pan wagged his tail, but ran back, and Bevis, forsaking +his stick, scrambled up into the stole, then into the +mound, and through a gap into the next field. Pan +was nowhere to be seen.</p> + +<p>There was a large mossy root under a great oak, +and, hot with his cutting, Bevis sat down upon it. +Along came a house martin, the kind of swallow that +has a white band across his back, flying very low, and +only just above the grass. The swallow flew to and +fro not far from Bevis, who watched it, and presently +asked him to come closer. But the swallow said: "I +shall not come any nearer, Bevis. Don't you remember +what you did last year, sir? Don't you remember Bill, +the carter's boy, put a ladder against the wall, and you +climbed up the ladder, and put your paw, all brown +and dirty, into my nest and took my eggs? And you +tried to string them on a bennet, but the bennet was +too big, so you went indoors for some thread. And +you made my wife and me dreadfully unhappy, and we +said we would never come back any more to your +house, Bevis."</p> + +<p>"But you have come back, swallow."</p> + +<p>"Yes, we have come back—just once more; but +if you do it again we shall go away for ever."</p> + +<p>"But I won't do it again; no, that I won't! Do +come near."</p> + +<p>So the swallow came a little nearer, only two yards +away, and flew backwards and forwards, and Bevis +could hear the snap of his beak as he caught the flies.</p> + +<p>"Just a little bit nearer still," said he. "Let me +stroke your lovely white back."</p> + +<p>"Oh, no, I can't do that. I don't think you are +quite safe, Bevis. Why don't you gather the cowslips?"</p> + +<p>Bevis looked up and saw that the field was full of +cowslips—yellow with cowslips. "I will pick every +one," said he, "and carry them all back to my +mother."</p> + +<p>"You cannot do that," said the swallow, laughing, +"you will not try long enough."</p> + +<p>"I <i>hate</i> you!" cried Bevis in a passion, and flung +his knife, which was in his hand, at the bird. The +swallow rose up, and the knife whizzed by and struck +the ground.</p> + +<p>"I told you you were not safe," said the swallow +over his head; "and I am sure you won't pick half the +cowslips."</p> + +<p>Bevis picked up his knife and put it in his pocket; +then he began to gather the cowslips, and kept on for a +quarter of an hour as fast as ever he could, till both +hands were full. There was a rustle in the hedge, and +looking up he saw Pan come out, all brown with sand +sticking to his coat. He shook himself, and sent the +sand flying from him in a cloud, just like he did with +the water when he came up out of the pond. Then he +looked at Bevis, wagged his tail, cried "Yowp!" and +ran back into the hedge again.</p> + +<p>Bevis rushed to the spot, and saw that there was a +large rabbits' hole. Into this hole Pan had worked his +way so far that there was nothing of him visible but +his hind legs and tail. Bevis could hear him panting +in the hole, he was working so hard to get at the rabbit, +and tearing with his teeth at the roots to make the hole +bigger. Bevis clapped his hands, dropping his cowslips, +and called "Loo! Loo!" urging the dog on. The sand +came flying out behind Pan, and he worked harder and +harder, as if he would tear the mound to pieces.</p> + +<p>Bevis sat down on the grass under the shadow of +the oak, by a maple bush, and taking a cowslip, began +to count the spots inside it. It was always five in all +the cowslips—five brown little spots—that he was sure +of, because he knew he had five fingers on each hand. +He lay down at full length on his back, and looked up +at the sky through the boughs of the oak. It was very, +very blue, and very near down. With a long ladder he +knew he could have got up there easily, and it looked +so sweet. "Sky," said Bevis, "I love you like I love +my mother." He pouted his lips, and kissed at it. +Then turning a little on one side to watch Pan, in an +instant he fell firm asleep.</p> + +<p>Pan put his head out of the hole to breathe two or +three times, and looked aside at Bevis, and seeing that +he was still, went back to work again. Two butterflies +came fluttering along together. The swallow returned, +and flew low down along the grass near Bevis. The +wind came now and then, and shook down a shower of +white and pink petals from a crab-tree in the hedge. +By-and-by a squirrel climbing from tree to tree reached +the oak, and stayed to look at Bevis beneath in the +shadow. He knew exactly how Bevis felt—just like he +did himself when he went to sleep.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II"></a>CHAPTER II.</h2> + +<h3>AT HOME.</h3> + + +<p>"Yowp, yow; wow-wow!" The yelling of Pan woke +Bevis, who jumped up, and seeing the bailiff beating +the spaniel with a stick, instantly, and without staying +the tenth of a second to rub his eyes or stretch himself, +rushed at the man and hit him with his doubled fists. +As if he had seen it in his sleep, Bevis understood what +was taking place immediately his eyelids opened. So +the bailiff beat the dog, and Bevis beat the bailiff. +The noise made quite an echo against the thick hedges +and a high bank that was near. When the bailiff +thought he had thrashed Pan sufficiently, he turned +round and looked down at Bevis, whose face was red, and +his knuckles sore with striking the bailiff's hard coat.</p> + +<p>"How fess you be, measter," said the bailiff (meaning +fierce), "you mind as you don't hurt yourself. Look'ee +here, there've bin a fine falarie about you, zur." He +meant that there had been much excitement when it +was found that Bevis was not in the garden, and was +nowhere to be found. Everybody was set to hunt for +him.</p> + +<p>First they thought of the brook, lest he should have +walked in among the flags that were coming up so +green and strong. Then they thought of the tallet +over the stable,—perhaps he had climbed up there +again from the manger, over the heads of the great +cart-horses, quietly eating their hay, while he put his +foot on the manger and then on the projecting steps +in the corner, and into the hayrack—and so up. He +had done it once before, and could not get down, and +so the tallet was searched. One man was sent to the +Long Pond, with orders to look everywhere, and borrow +the punt and push in among the bulrushes.</p> + +<p>Another was despatched to the Close, to gruffly +inquire where the cottage boys were, and what they +had been doing, for Bevis was known to hanker after +their company, to go catching loach under the stones +in the stream that crossed the road, and creeping +under the arch of the bridge, and taking the moor-hens' +eggs from the banks of the ponds where the rushes +were thick. Another was put on the pony, to gallop +up the road after the carter and his waggon, for he had +set off that morning with a load of hay for the hills +that could be seen to the southward.</p> + +<p>Running over every possible thing that Bevis could +have done in his mind, his papa remembered that he +had lately taken to asking about the road, and would +not be satisfied till they had taken him up to the sign-post—a +mile beyond the village, and explained the +meaning of it. Some one had told him that it was the +road to Southampton—the place where the ships came. +Now, Bevis was full of the ships, drawing them on the +blue wall of the summer-house, and floating a boat on +the trough in the cow-yard, and looking wistfully up +the broad dusty highway, as if he could see the masts +and yards sixty miles away or more. Perhaps when +the carter went with the waggon that way, Bevis had +slipped up the footpath that made a short cut across +the fields, and joined the waggon at the cross-roads, +that he might ride to the hills thinking to see the sea +on the other side.</p> + +<p>And the bailiff, not to be behindhand, having just +come in for his lunch, ran out again without so much +as wetting his stubbly white beard in the froth of the +drawn quart of ale, and made away as fast as his stiff +legs could carry him to where there was a steam +ploughing engine at work—a mile distant. The sight +of the white steam, and the humming of the fly-wheel, +always set Bevis "on the jig," as the village folk called +it, to get to the machinery, and the smell of the cotton +waste and oil wafted on the wind was to him like the +scent of battle to the war-horse.</p> + +<p>But Bevis was not in the tallet, nor the brook, nor +among the bulrushes of the Long Pond, nor under the +bridge dabbling for loach, nor watching the steam +plough, and the cottage boys swore their hardest (and +they knew how to swear quite properly) that they had +not seen him that morning. But they would look for +him, and forthwith eagerly started to scour the fields +and hedges. Meantime, Bevis, quite happy, was sleeping +under the oak in the shadow, with Pan every now +and then coming out of the rabbit-hole to snort out the +sand that got into his nostrils.</p> + +<p>But, by-and-by, when everything had been done +and everybody was scattered over the earth seeking for +him, the bailiff came back from the steam plough, +weary with running, and hungry, thirsty, and cross. +As he passed through the yard he caught a glimpse of +Pan's kennel, which was a tub by the wood pile, and +saw that the chain was lying stretched to its full +length. Pan was gone. At first the bailiff thought +Bevis had loosed him, and that he had got a clue. +But when he came near, he saw that the collar was +not unbuckled; Pan had worked his head out, and so +escaped.</p> + +<p>The bailiff turned the collar over thoughtfully with +his foot, and felt his scanty white beard with his hard +hand; and then he went back to the cart-house. Up +in the cart-house, on the ledge of the wall beneath the +thatch, there were three or four sticks, each about four +feet long and as thick as your thumb, with the bark on—some +were ground ash, some crab-tree, and one was +hazel. This one was straight and as hard as could +be. These sticks were put there for the time when the +cows were moved, so that the men might find their +sticks quick. Each had his stick, and the bailiff's was +the hazel one. With the staff in his hand the bailiff +set out straight across the grass, looking neither to the +right nor the left, but walking deliberately and without +hesitation.</p> + +<p>He got through a gap in one hedge, and then he +turned to the corner making towards the rabbit-burrows, +for he guessed that Pan had gone there. As +he approached he saw Bevis sleeping, and smiled, for +looking for the dog he had found the boy. But first +stepping softly up to Bevis, and seeing that he was +quite right and unhurt, only asleep, the bailiff went to +the hedge and thrust his staff into the hole where Pan +was at work.</p> + +<p>Out came Pan, and instantly down came the rod. +Pan cowered in the grass; he was all over sand, +which flew up in a cloud as the rod struck him again. +"Yowp!—yow—wow—wow!" and this row awoke +Bevis.</p> + +<p>Bevis battled hard for his dog, but the bailiff had +had his lunch delayed, and his peace of mind upset +about the boy, and he was resolutely relieving himself +upon the spaniel. Now the hazel rod, being dry and +stiff, was like a bar of iron, and did not yield or bend +in the least, but made the spaniel's ribs rattle. Pan +could not get low enough into the grass; he ceased to +howl, so great was the pain, but merely whimpered, +and the tears filled his brown eyes. At last the bailiff +ceased, and immediately Bevis pulled out his handkerchief, +and sat down on the grass and wiped away the +spaniel's tears.</p> + +<p>"Now, measter, you come along wi' I," said the +bailiff, taking his hand. Bevis would not come, saying +he hated him. But when the bailiff told him about +the hunt there had been, and how the people were +everywhere looking for him, Bevis began to laugh, +thinking it was rare fun.</p> + +<p>"Take me 'pick-a-back,'" said he.</p> + +<p>So the bailiff stooped and took him. "Gee-up!" +said Bevis, punching his broad back and kicking him +to go faster. Pan, now quite forgotten, crept along +behind them.</p> + +<p>Bevis listened to the lecture they gave him at home +with a very bad grace. He sulked and pouted, as if he +had himself been the injured party. But no sooner +was he released from the dinner-table, than he was +down on his knees at his own particular corner cupboard, +the one that had been set apart for his toys and +things ever since he could walk. It was but a small +cupboard, made across the angle of two walls, and +with one shelf only, yet it was bottomless, and always +contained something new.</p> + +<p>There were the last fragments of the great box of +wooden bricks, cut and chipped, and notched and +splintered by that treasure, his pocket-knife. There +was the tin box for the paste, or the worms in moss, +when he went fishing. There was the wheel of his old +wheelbarrow, long since smashed and numbered with +the Noah's arks that have gone the usual way. There +was the brazen cylinder of a miniature steam-engine +bent out of all shape. There was the hammer-head +made specially for him by the blacksmith down in the +village, without a handle, for people were tired of +putting new handles to it, he broke them so quickly. +There was a horse-shoe, and the iron catch of a gate, +and besides these a boxwood top, which he could not +spin, but which he had payed away half the savings in +his money-box for, because he had seen it split the +other boys' tops in the road.</p> + +<p>In one corner was a brass cannon, the touch-hole +blackened by the explosion of gunpowder, and by it the +lock of an ancient pistol—the lock only, and neither +barrel nor handle. An old hunting-crop, some feathers +from pheasants' tails, part of a mole-trap, an old brazen +bugle, much battered, a wooden fig-box full of rusty +nails, several scraps of deal board and stumps of cedar +pencil were heaped together in confusion. But these +were not all, nor could any written inventory exhaust +the contents, and give a perfect list of all that cupboard +held. There was always something new in it: Bevis +never went there, but he found something.</p> + +<p>With the hunting-crop he followed the harriers and +chased the doubling hare; with the cannon he fought +battles, such as he saw in the pictures; the bugle, too, +sounded the charge (the bailiff sometimes blew it in +the garden to please him, and the hollow "who-oo!" it +made echoed over the fields); with the deal boards and +the rusty nails, and the hammer-head, he built houses, +and even cities. The jagged and splintered wooden +bricks, six inches long, were not bricks, but great +beams and baulks of timber; the wheel of the wheelbarrow +was the centre of many curious pieces of +mechanism. He could see these things easily. So he +sat down at his cupboard and forgot the lecture instantly; +the pout disappeared from his lips as he +plunged his hand into the inexhaustible cupboard.</p> + +<p>"Bevis, dear," he heard presently, "you may have +an apple."</p> + +<p>Instantly, and without staying to shut the door on +his treasures, he darted upstairs—up two flights, with +a clatter and a bang, burst open the door, and was in +the apple-room. It was a large garret or attic, running +half the length of the house, and there, in the autumn, +the best apples from the orchard were carried, and put +on a thin layer of hay, each apple apart from its fellow +(for they ought not to touch), and each particular sort, +the Blenheim Oranges and the King Pippins, the +Creepers and the Grindstone Pippins (which grew +nowhere else), divided from the next sort by a little +fence of hay.</p> + +<p>The most of them were gone now, only a few of the +keeping apples remained, and from these Bevis, with +great deliberation, chose the biggest, measuring them +by the eye and weighing them in his hand. Then +downstairs again with a clatter and a bang, down the +second stairs this time, past the gun-room, where the +tools were kept, and a carpenter's bench; then through +the whole length of the ground floor from the kitchen +to the parlour slamming every door behind him, and +kicking over the chairs in front of him.</p> + +<p>There he stayed half-a-minute to look at the hornet's +nest under the glass-case on the mantelpiece. The +comb was built round a central pillar or column, three +stories one above the other, and it had been taken from +the willow tree by the brook, the huge hollow willow +which he had twice tried to chop down, that he might +make a boat of it. Then out of doors, and up the yard, and +past the cart-house, when something moved in the long +grass under the wall. It was a weasel, caught in a gin.</p> + +<p>The trap had been set by the side of a drain for rats, +and the weasel coming out, or perhaps frightened by +footsteps, and hastening carelessly, had been trapped. +Bevis, biting his apple, looked at the weasel, and the +weasel said: "Sir Bevis, please let me out, this gin +hurts me so; the teeth are very sharp and the spring is +very strong, and the tar-cord is very stout, so that I +cannot break it. See how the iron has skinned my leg +and taken off the fur, and I am in such pain. Do +please let me go, before the ploughboy comes, or he +will hit me with a stick, or smash me with a stone, or +put his iron-shod heel on me; and I have been a very +good weasel, Bevis. I have been catching the horrid +rats that eat the barley-meal put for the pigs. Oh, let +me out, the gin hurts me so!"</p> + +<p>Bevis put his foot on the spring, and was pressing it +down, and the weasel thought he was already free, and +looked across at the wood pile under which he meant +to hide, when Bevis heard a little squeak close to his +head, and looked up and saw a mouse under the eaves +of the cart-house, peeping forth from a tiny crevice, +where the mortar had fallen from between the stones of +the wall.</p> + +<p>"Bevis, Bevis!" said the mouse, "don't you do it—don't +you let that weasel go! He is a most dreadful +wicked weasel, and his teeth are ever so much sharper +than that gin. He does not kill the rats, because he is +afraid of them (unless he can assassinate one in his +sleep), but he murdered my wife and sucked her blood, +and her body, all dry and withered, is up in the beam +there, if you will get a ladder and look. And he killed +all my little mouses, and made me very unhappy, and +I shall never be able to get another wife to live with +me in this cart-house while he is about. There is +no way we can get away from him. If we go out into +the field he follows us there, and if we go into the +sheds he comes after us there, and he is a cruel +beast, that wicked weasel. You know you ate the +partridge's eggs," added the mouse, speaking to the +weasel.</p> + +<p>"It is all false," said the weasel. "But it is true +that you ate the wheat out of the ears in the wheat-rick, +and you know what was the consequence. If that +little bit of wheat you ate had been thrashed, and +ground, and baked, and made into bread, then that +poor girl would have had a crust to eat, and would not +have jumped into the river, and she would have had a +son, and he would have been a great man and fought +battles, just as Bevis does with his brazen cannon, and +won great victories, and been the pride of all the nation. +But you ate those particular grains of wheat that were +meant to do all this, you wicked little mouse. Besides +which, you ran across the bed one night, and frightened +Bevis's mother."</p> + +<p>"But I did not mean to," said the mouse; "and +you did mean to kill my wife, and you ate the partridge's +eggs."</p> + +<p>"And a very good thing I did," said the weasel. +"Do you know what would have happened, if I had +not taken them? I did it all for good, and with the +best intentions. For if I had left the eggs one more +day, there was a man who meant to have stolen them +all but one, which he meant to have left to deceive the +keeper. If he had stolen them, he would have been +caught, for the keeper was watching for him all the +time, and he would have been put to prison, and his +children would have been hungry. So I ate the eggs, +and especially I ate every bit of the one the man +meant to have left."</p> + +<p>"And why were you so particular about eating +that egg?" asked Bevis.</p> + +<p>"Because," said the weasel, "if that egg had come +to a partridge chick, and the chick had lived till +the shooting-time came, then the sportsman and his +brother, when they came round, would have started +it out of the stubble, and the shot from the gun of +the younger would have accidentally killed the elder, +and people would have thought it was done to murder +him for the sake of the inheritance."</p> + +<p>"Now, is this true?" said Bevis.</p> + +<p>"Yes, that it is; and I killed the mouse's wife +also for the best of reasons."</p> + +<p>"You horrid wretch!" cried the mouse.</p> + +<p>"Oh, you needn't call me a wretch," said the +weasel; "I am sure you ought to be grateful to +me, for your wife was very jealous because you paid +so much attention to the Miss Mouse you want to +marry now, and in the night she meant to have gnawn +your throat."</p> + +<p>"And you frightened my mother," said Bevis, "by +running across her bed in the night;" and he began to +press on the spring of the gin.</p> + +<p>"Yes, that he did," said the weasel, overjoyed; +"and he made a hole in the boards of the floor, and +it was down that hole that the half-sovereign rolled +and was lost, and the poor maid-servant sent away +because they thought she had stolen it."</p> + +<p>"What do you say to that?" asked Bevis.</p> + +<p>But the mouse was quite aghast and dumb-founded +and began to think that it was he after all who was in +the wrong, so that for the moment he could not speak. +Just then Bevis caught sight of the colt that had come +up beside his mother, the cart mare, to the fence; and +thinking that he would go and try and stroke the +pretty creature, Bevis started forward, forgetting all +about the weasel and the mouse. As he started, he +pressed the spring down, and in an instant the weasel +was out, and had hobbled across to the wood pile. +When the mouse saw this, he gave a little squeak of +terror, and ran back to his hiding-place.</p> + +<p>But when Bevis put out his hand to stroke the colt, +the colt started back, so he picked up a stick and +threw at him. Then he took another stick and +hunted the hens round and round the ricks to make +them lay their eggs faster, as it is well known that +is the best way. For he remembered that last year +they had shown him three tiny bantam chicks, such +darling little things, all cuddled cosily together in the +hollow of a silver table-spoon. The hens clucked and +raced, and Bevis raced after and shouted, and the cock, +slipping on one side, for it hurt his dignity to run away +like the rest, hopped upon the railings, napped his +wings, crew, and cried: "You'll be glad when I'm +dead". That was how Bevis translated his "hurra-ca-roorah".</p> + +<p>In the midst of the noise out came Polly, the dairy-maid, +with a bone for Pan, which Bevis no sooner saw, +than he asked her to let him give Pan his dinner. +"Very well, dear," said Polly, and went in to finish +her work. So Bevis took the bone, and Pan, all weary +and sore from his thrashing, crept out from his tub to +receive it; but Bevis put the bone on the grass (all the +grass was worn bare where Pan could reach) just where +the spaniel could smell it nicely but could not get +it. Pan struggled, and scratched, and howled, and +scratched again, and tugged till his collar, buckled +tightly now, choked him, and he gasped and panted, +while Bevis, taking the remnant of his apple from his +pocket, nibbled it and laughed with a face like an +angel's for sweetness.</p> + +<p>Then a rook went over and cawed, and Bevis, looking +up at the bird, caught a glimpse of the swing over +the wall—it stood under the sycamore tree. Dropping +the bit of apple, away he ran to the swing, and sat in +it, and pushed himself off. As he swung forward he +straightened his legs and leant back; when he swung +back he drew his feet under him and leant forward, +and by continuing this the weight of his body caused +the swing to rise like a pendulum till he went up +among the sycamore boughs, nearly as high as the +ivy-grown roof of the summer-house, just opposite. +There he went to and fro, as easily as possible, shutting +his eyes and humming to himself.</p> + +<p>Presently a cock chaffinch came and perched in the +ash close by, and immediately began to sing his war-song: +"I am lord of this tree," sang the chaffinch, "I +am lord of this tree; every bough is mine, and every +leaf, and the wind that comes through it, and the sunshine +that falls on it, and the rain that moistens it, and +the blue sky over it, and the grass underneath it—all +this is mine. My nest is going to be made in the ivy +that grows half-way up the trunk, and my wife is very +busy to-day bringing home the fibres and the moss, +and I have just come back a little while to tell you all +that none of you must come into or touch my tree. I +like this tree, and therefore it is mine. Be careful that +none of you come inside the shadow of it, or I shall +peck you with all my might."</p> + +<p>Then he paused awhile, and Bevis went on swinging +and listening. In a minute or two another chaffinch +came to the elm in the hedge just outside the garden, +and quite close to the ash. Directly he perched, he +ruffled up and began to sing too: "I am lord of this +tree, and it is a very high tree, much higher than the +ash, and even above the oak where that slow fellow the +crow is building. Mine is the very highest tree of all, +and I am the brightest and prettiest of all the chaffinches. +See my colours how bright they are, so +that you would hardly know me from a bullfinch. +There is not a feather rumpled in my wing, or +my tail, and I have the most beautiful eyes of all +of you."</p> + +<p>Hardly had he done singing than another chaffinch +came into the crab-tree, a short way up the hedge, and +he began to sing too: "I have a much bigger tree +than either of you, but as it is at the top of the field I +cannot bring it down here, but I have come down into +this crab-tree, and I say it is mine, and I am lord of +two trees. I am stronger than both of you, and +neither of you dare come near me."</p> + +<p>The two other chaffinches were silent for a minute, +and then one of them, the knight of the ash-tree, +flew down into the hedge under the crab-tree; and instantly +down flew the third chaffinch, and they fought +a battle, and pecked and buffeted one another with +their wings, till Bevis's tears ran down with laughing. +Presently they parted, and the third chaffinch went +home to his tree at the top of the field, leaving one +little feather on the ground, which the first chaffinch +picked up and carried to his nest in the ash.</p> + +<p>But scarcely had he woven it into the nest than +down flew the second chaffinch from the elm into the +shadow of the ash. Flutter, flutter went the first +chaffinch to meet him, and they had such a battle as +Bevis had never seen before, and fought till they were +tired; then each flew up into his tree, and sang again +about their valour.</p> + +<p>Immediately afterwards ten sparrows came from +the house-top into the bushes, chattering and struggling +all together, scratching, pecking, buffeting, and +all talking at once. After they had had a good fight +they all went back to the house-top, and began to tell +each other what tremendous blows they had given. +Then there was such a great cawing from the rook +trees, which were a long way off, that it was evident a +battle was going on there, and Bevis heard the chaffinch +say that one of the rooks had been caught stealing +his cousin's sticks.</p> + +<p>Next two goldfinches began to fight, and then a +blackbird came up from the brook and perched on a +rail, and he was such a boaster, for he said he had the +yellowest bill of all the blackbirds, and the blackest +coat, and the largest eye, and the sweetest whistle, and +he was lord over all the blackbirds. In two minutes +up came another one from out of the bramble bushes +at the corner, and away they went chattering at each +other. Presently the starlings on the chimney began +to quarrel, and had a terrible set-to. Then a wren +came by, and though he was so small, his boast was +worse than the blackbird's, for he said he was the +sharpest and the cleverest of all the birds, and knew +more than all put together.</p> + +<p>Afar off, in the trees, there were six or seven +thrushes, all declaring that they were the best singers, +and had the most speckled necks; and up in the sky +the swallows were saying that they had the whitest +bosoms.</p> + +<p>"Oo! whoo," cried a wood-pigeon from the very +oak under which Bevis had gone to sleep. "There +are none who can fly so fast as I can. I am a captain +of the wood-pigeons, and in the winter I have three +hundred and twenty-two pigeons under me, and they +all do exactly as I tell them. They fly when I fly, and +settle down when I settle down. If I go to the west, +they go to the west; and if I go to the east, then they +follow to the east. I have the biggest acorns, and the +best of the peas, for they leave them especially for me. +And not one of all the three hundred and twenty-two +pigeons dares to begin to eat the wheat in August till +I say it is ripe and they may, and not one of them +dares to take a wife till I say yes. Oo-whoo! Is not +my voice sweet and soft, and delicious, far sweeter +than that screeching nightingale's in the hawthorn +yonder?"</p> + +<p>But he had no sooner finished than another one +began in the fir copse, and said he was captain of one +thousand pigeons, and was ever so much stronger, and +could fly ten miles an hour faster. So away went the +first pigeon to the fir copse, and there was a great +clattering of wings and "oo-whoo"-ing, and how it +was settled Bevis could not tell.</p> + +<p>So as he went on swinging, he heard all the birds +quarrelling, and boasting, and fighting, hundreds of +them all around, and he said to the chaffinch on the +ash:—</p> + +<p>"Chaffinch, it seems to me that you are all very +wicked birds, for you think of nothing but fighting all +day long".</p> + +<p>The chaffinch laughed, and said: "My dear Sir +Bevis, I do not know what you mean by wicked. But +fighting is very nice indeed, and we all feel so jolly +when fighting time comes. For you must know that +the spring is the duelling time, when all the birds go +to battle. There is not a tree nor a bush on your papa's +farm, nor on all the farms all around, nor in all the +country, nor in all this island, but some fighting is +going on. I have not time to tell you all about it; but +I wish you could read our history, and all about the +wars that have been going on these thousand years. +Perhaps if you should ever meet the squirrel he will +tell you, for he knows most about history. As we all +like it so much, it must be right, and we never hurt +one another very much. Sometimes a feather is +knocked out, and sometimes one gets a hard peck; +but it does not do any harm. And after it is over, in +the autumn, we are all very good friends, and go hunting +together. You may see us, hundreds of us in your +papa's stubble-fields, Bevis, all flying together very +happy. I think the skylarks fight the most, for they +begin almost in the winter if the sun shines warm for +an hour, and they keep on all day in the summer, and +till it is quite dark and the stars are out, besides getting +up before the cuckoo to go on again. Yet they are the +sweetest and nicest of all the birds, and the most +gentle, and do not mind our coming into their fields. +So I am sure, Bevis, that you are wrong, and fighting +is not wicked if you love one another. You and Mark +are fond of one another, but you hit him sometimes, +don't you?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, that I do," said Bevis, very eagerly, "I hit +him yesterday so hard with my bat that he would not +come and play with me. It is very nice to hit any +one."</p> + +<p>"But you cannot do it like we do it," said the +chaffinch, swelling with pride again, "for we sing and +you can't, and if you can't sing you have no business to +fight, and besides, though you are much older than me +you are not married yet. Now I have such a beautiful +wife, and to tell you the truth, Bevis, we do the fighting +because the ladies love to see it, and kiss us for it +afterwards. I am the knight of this tree!"</p> + +<p>After which Bevis, being tired of swinging, went to +the summer-house to read what he had written with +his stump of pencil till he was called to tea. In the +evening, when the sun was sinking, he went out and +lay down on the seat—it was a broad plank, grey with +lichen—under the russet apple-tree, looking towards +the west, over the brook below. He saw the bees +coming home to the hives close by on the haha, and +they seemed to come high in the air, flying straight as +if from the distant hills where the sun was. He heard +the bees say that there were such quantities of flowers +on the hills, and such pleasant places, and that the sky +was much more blue up there, and he thought if he +could he would go to the hills soon.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III"></a>CHAPTER III.</h2> + +<h3>ADVENTURES OF THE WEASEL.</h3> + + +<p>After awhile the mowers came and began to cut the +long grass in the Home Field, and the meadow by +the brook. Bevis could see them from the garden, and +it was impossible to prevent him from straying up the +footpath, so eager was he to go nearer. The best thing +that could be done, since he could not be altogether +stopped, was to make him promise that he would not +go beyond a certain limit. He might wander as much +as he pleased inside the hedge and the Home Field, +in which there was no pond, nor any place where he +could very well come to harm. But he must not creep +through the hedge, so that he would always be in sight +from the garden. If he wished to enter the meadow +by the brook he must ask special permission, that some +one might be put to watch now and then.</p> + +<p>But more expressly he was forbidden to enter the +Little Field. The grass there was not yet to be mown—it +was too long to walk in—and they were afraid lest +he should get through the hedge, or climb over the high +padlocked gate in some way or other, for the Long Pond +was on the other side, though it could not be seen for +trees. Nor was he to approach nearer to the mowers +than one swathe; he was always to keep one swathe +between him and the scythes, which are extremely +sharp and dangerous instruments.</p> + +<p>Sir Bevis repeated these promises so seriously, and +with so demure and innocent an expression, that no +one could doubt but that he would keep them strictly, +nor, indeed, did any idea of exceeding these limits occur +to him. He was so overjoyed at the vast extent of +territory, almost a new world thrown open for exploration, +that he did not think it possible he could ever +want to go any farther. He rushed into the Home Field, +jumping over the swathes till he was tired, and kicking +the grass about with his feet. Then he wanted a prong, +and a stout stick with a fork was cut and pointed for +him, and with this he went eagerly to work for five +minutes. Next he wanted some one to bury under the +grass, and could not be satisfied till the dairy-maid was +sent out and submitted to be completely hidden under +a heap of it.</p> + +<p>Next he walked all round the field, and back home +down the middle. By-and-by he sat down and looked +at the mowers, who were just finishing the last corner +before they went into the meadow by the brook. While +he was sitting there a number of greenfinches, and +sparrows, and two or three hasty starlings (for they are +always in a hurry), came to the sward where the +mowers had just passed, and searched about for +food. They seemed so happy and looked so pretty, +Bevis thought he should like to shoot one, so away he +ran home to the summer-house for his bow and arrow. +Hastening back with these, he built a heap of the grass +to hide behind, like a breastwork, and then sat down +and watched for the birds.</p> + +<p>They did not come directly, as they ought to have +done, so he kicked up his heels, and rolled over on his +back, and looked up at the sky, as was his wont. Every +now and then he could hear Pan whining woefully in +his tub a long way off. Since the whipping the spaniel +had been in disgrace, and no one would let him loose. +Bevis, so delighted with his field to roam about in, +quite forgot him, and left him to sorrow in his tub. +Presently he heard a lark singing so sweetly, though at +a great distance, that he kept quite still to listen. The +song came in verses, now it rose a little louder, and +now it fell till he could hardly hear it, and again returned. +Bevis got up on his knees to try and find where +the lark was, but the sky was so blue there or the bird +so high up, he could not see it, though he searched and +searched. It was somewhere in the next field, far +beyond the great oak where he once fell asleep.</p> + +<p>He then peered round his heap of grass, but there +were no greenfinches near; they had come out from +the hedges, and the starling had come from the hollow +pollard where he had a nest, but all had settled a long +way off from his hiding-place. Bevis was very angry, +so he stood up, and pulled his bow with all his might, +and let the arrow fly into the air almost straight up. +When it had risen so far, it turned over and came down +among the flock of birds and stuck in the ground.</p> + +<p>They flew away in terror, and though he had not +killed any, Bevis was highly delighted at the fright +they were in. He picked up his arrow, and tried +another long shot at a rook on the other side of the +field, but he could not send it so great a distance. As +he ran for it, he saw that the rook's back was towards +him, and, thinking that the rook could not see him, he +raced on quietly to try and catch him, but just as he +got close, up rose the rook over the hedge with a "Caw, +caw!" Whizz! went Bevis's arrow after him, and fell +on the other side of the hedge, where he was not to go.</p> + +<p>In his anger at the rook's behaviour Bevis forgot all +about his promise; he jumped into the ditch regardless +of the stinging-nettles, pushed his way up through the +briars, tearing his sleeve, forced his way across the +mound, and went on his hands and knees through the +young green fern on the other side (just as Pan would +have done) under the thick thorn bushes, and so out +into the next field. It was the very field where he and +Pan had wandered before, only another part of it. +There was his arrow ever so far off, sticking upright in +the grass among the cowslips. As he went to pick up +his arrow he saw another flower growing a little farther +on, and went to gather that first; it was an orchid, and +when he stood up with it in his hand he heard a mouse +rustle in the grass, and stepped quietly to try and see +it, but the mouse hid in a hole.</p> + +<p>Then there was an enormous humble-bee, so huge +that when it stayed to suck a cowslip, the cowslip was +bent down with its weight. Bevis walked after the +giant humble-bee, and watched it take the honey from +several cowslips; then he saw a stone standing in the +field, it was not upright, but leaned to one side—yet it +was almost as tall as he was. He went to the stone +and looked all round it, and got up on it and sat still a +minute, and while he was there a cuckoo came by, so +close, that he jumped off to run after it. But the +cuckoo flew fast, and began to call "Cuckoo!" and it +was no use to chase him.</p> + +<p>When Bevis stopped and looked about he was in a +hollow, like a big salad bowl, only all grass, and he +could see nothing but the grass and cowslips all round +him—no hedges—and the sky overhead. He began to +dance and sing with delight at such a curious place, +and when he paused the lark was on again, and not +very far this time. There he was, rising gradually, +singing as he went. Bevis ran up the side of the +hollow towards the lark, and saw a hedge cut and +cropped low, and over it a wheat-field. He watched +the lark sing, sing, sing, up into the sky, and then he +thought he would go and find his nest, as he remembered +the ploughboy had told him larks made their +nests on the ground among the corn.</p> + +<p>He ran to the low hedge, but though it was low it +was very thorny, and while he was trying to find a +place to get through, he looked over and spied a hare +crouched in the rough grass, just under the hedge between +it and the wheat. The hare was lying on the +ground; she did not move, though she saw Bevis, and +when he looked closer he saw that her big eyes were +full of tears. She was crying very bitterly, all by herself, +while the sun was shining so brightly, and the +wind blowing so sweetly, and the flowers smelling so +pleasantly, and the lark sing, sing, singing overhead.</p> + +<p>"Oh! dear," said Bevis, so eager and so sorry, that +he pushed against the hedge, and did not notice that +a thorn was pricking his arm: "Whatever is the +matter?" But the hare was so miserable she would +not answer him at first, till he coaxed her nicely. +Then she said: "Bevis, Bevis, little Sir Bevis, do you +know what you have done?"</p> + +<p>"No," said Bevis, "I can't think: was it me?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, it was you; you let the weasel loose, when +he was caught in the gin."</p> + +<p>"Did I?" said Bevis, "I have quite forgotten it."</p> + +<p>"But you did it," said the hare, "and now the +weasel has killed my son, the leveret, while he was +sleeping, and sucked his blood, and I am so miserable; +I do not care to run away any more." Then the hare +began to weep bitterly again, till Bevis did not know +what to do to comfort her.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps the weasel only killed the leveret for +your good," he said presently.</p> + +<p>"What!" cried the hare, putting her fore-feet +down hard, and stamping with indignation. "That is +what the wicked old wretch told you, did he not, about +the mouse and the partridge's eggs. Cannot you see +that it is all a pack of lies? But I do not wonder that +he deceives you, dear, since he has deceived the world +for so long. Let me tell you, Sir Bevis, the weasel is +the wickedest and most dreadful creature that lives, +and above all things he is so cunning he can make +people believe anything he chooses, and he has succeeded +in making fools of us all—every one.</p> + +<p>"There is not one of all the animals in the hedge, +nor one of the birds in the trees, that he has not +cheated. He is so very, very cunning, and his talk is +so soft and smooth. Do you please take care, Sir +Bevis, or perhaps he may deceive you, as he deceived +the fox. Why, do you know, he has made the people +believe that his crimes are committed by the fox, who +consequently bears all the disgrace; and not only that, +but he has spread it abroad that the fox is the most +cunning of all, in order that he may not be suspected of +being so clever as he is. I daresay the weasel will +have me some day, and I do not care if he does, now +my leveret is dead; and very soon his poor bones will +be picked clean by the ants, and after the corn is carried +the plough will bury them."</p> + +<p>Bevis was terribly distressed at the hare's story, +and showed such indignation against the weasel, and +stamped his little foot so hard, knitting his brow, that +the hare was somewhat appeased, and began to explain +all about it.</p> + +<p>"Of course you did not know, dear," she said, +"when you stepped on the spring of the gin, what +trouble we had had to get him into the trap. For we +had all suffered so long from his cruelty, that we had +all agreed at last to try and put an end to it. The trees +could not bear to stand still and see it go on under +them, yet they could not move. The earth could not +bear to feel him running about on his bloodthirsty +business, through the holes the rabbits had made. The +grass hated to feel him pushing through, for it had so +often been stained with the blood that he had shed. +So we all took counsel together, and I carried the +messages, dear, from the oak, where you slept, to the +ash and the elm, and to the earth in the corner where +the rabbits live; and the birds came up into the oak +and gave their adherence, every one; and the fox, too, +though he did not come himself, for he is too cunning +to commit himself till he knows which way the wind is +going to blow, sent word of his high approval.</p> + +<p>"Thus we were all prepared to act against that +midnight assassin, the weasel, but we could not begin. +The trees could not move, the earth could not wag a +step, the grass could do nothing, and so it went on for +some months, during all which time the weasel was +busy with his wickedness, till at last the bailiff set the +gin for the rat by the cart-house. Then the fox came +out by day—contrary to his custom, for he likes a nap—and +went to a spot where he knew a rabbit sat in the +grass; and he hunted the poor rabbit (it was very good +sport to see—I do not like rabbits), till he had driven +him across the ditch, where the weasel was. Then +the fox stopped, and hid himself in the furze; and the +weasel, first looking round to see that no one was +near, stole after the rabbit. Now the rabbit knew that +the fox was about, and therefore he was afraid to run +across the open field; all he could do was to go down +the hedge towards the garden.</p> + +<p>"Everything was going on well, and we sent word +to the rat, to warn him against the gin—we did not +like the rat, but we did not want the gin thrown—don't +you see, dear? But when the rabbit had gone +half-way down the hedge, and was close to the garden, +he became afraid to venture any nearer your house, +Bevis. Still the weasel crept after him, and presently +drove him almost up to your sycamore-tree. Then the +rabbit did not know what to do; for if he went forward +the people in the house might see him and bring out +the gun, and if he turned back the weasel would have +him, and if he ran out into the field the fox would be +there, and he could not climb up a tree. He stopped +still, trying to think, till the weasel came so near he +could smell the rabbit's blood, and then, in his terror, +the rabbit darted out from the hedge, and into the ditch +of your haha wall, under where the bee-hives are. +There he saw a dry drain, and hopped into it, forgetting +in his fright that he might not be able to get out at the +other end.</p> + +<p>"The weasel thought he had now got him safe, +and was just going to rush across and follow, when an +ant spoke to him from the trunk of a tree it was climbing. +The ant said the fox had asked him yesterday to +watch, and if the weasel came that way, to warn him +that there was a plot laid for his life, and not to be too +venturesome. This was a piece of the same double-faced +ways the fox has been notorious for these many +years past. No one hates the weasel so much as the +fox, but he said to himself: 'The weasel is so cunning, +that even if he is caught, he is sure to find some way +to get free, and then he will perhaps discover that I +had a hand in it, and will turn round on me and spoil +some of my schemes out of spite. Besides which, I +don't see why I should take much interest in the hare +or the mouse.' So, though he hunted the rabbit for us, +yet he sent the weasel this message, to take care and +mind and not be too bold.</p> + +<p>"When the weasel heard this he stopped, and thought +to himself that it was rather dangerous to go so near a +house, almost under it; and yet he could not help +licking his mouth, as he remembered the sweet scent +of the rabbit's blood. But he was so very, very cunning, +that he thought to himself the rabbit would be +obliged to come out again presently, and would be sure +to come up the hedge if he did not see the weasel. So +the weasel turned round to go up the hedge, and we +were all in anxiety lest the scheme should miscarry. +But as the weasel was going under the elm, the elm +dropped a large dead branch, and as it came crashing +down, it fell so near the weasel as to pinch his foot, +and, hearing another branch go crack, he lost his +presence of mind, turned back again, and darted across +the corner into the drain. There the scent of the +rabbit was so strong he could not help but follow it, +and in a moment or two he saw the poor creature +crouched at the end where he could not pass.</p> + +<p>"The weasel bounded forward, when the earth +squeezed out a stone, and the stone fell between the +weasel and the rabbit. Before he could tell what to +do, the earth squeezed out another stone behind him +and he was caught, and could neither go forward or +backward. Now we thought we had got him, and that +he must starve to death. As for the rabbit, when the +stone fell down it left a hole above, up which he +scrambled into the cow-yard, and there hid himself +behind a bunch of nettles till night, when he escaped +into the field.</p> + +<p>"Meantime the weasel in a dreadful fright was +walking to and fro in his narrow prison, gnashing his +teeth with rage and terror, and calling to all the +animals and birds and insects and even to the mole +(whom he despised most of all) to help him out. He +promised to be the nicest, kindest weasel that ever +was known; but it was no use, for they were all in the +secret, and overjoyed to see him on the point of perishing. +There he had to stay, and though he scratched +and scratched, he could not make any hole through the +solid stone, and by-and-by he got weaker, and he began +to die. While he was dying the rat came and peeped +down at him through a chink, and laughed and said: +'What is the use of all your cunning, you coward? If +you had been bold like me you would never have got +into this scrape, by being afraid of a dead branch of a +tree because it pinched your foot. I should have run +by quickly. You are a silly, foolish, blind sort of +creature; could you not see that all the things had agreed +to deceive you?'</p> + +<p>"At this the weasel was so wroth it woke him up +from his dying, and he returned the taunt and said: +'Rat, you are by far the silliest to help the hare and +the mouse; it is true they sent you a message about +the gin, but that was not for love of you, I am sure, +and I can't think why they should send it; but you may +depend it is some trick, and very likely the gin is not +where they said at all, but in another place, and you +will walk into it when you are not thinking, and then +you will curse the hare and the mouse'.</p> + +<p>"'Ah,' said the rat, 'that sounds like reason; you +are right, the hare and the mouse are going to play +me a trick. But I will spite them, I will let you out.'</p> + +<p>"'Will you?' said the weasel, starting up and +feeling almost strong again. 'But you can't, these +stones are so thick you cannot move them, nor scratch +through them, nor raise them; no, you cannot let me +out.'</p> + +<p>"'Oh, yes, I can,' said the rat, 'I know a way to +move the biggest stones, and if you can only wait a +day or two I will make this chink large enough for you +to come up.'</p> + +<p>"'A day or two,' said the weasel in despair; 'why, +I am nearly dead now with hunger.'</p> + +<p>"'Well then,' said the rat, 'gnaw your own tail;' +and off he went laughing at the joke. The miserable +weasel cried and sniffed, and sniffed and cried, till by-and-by +he heard the rat come back and begin to +scratch outside. Presently the rat stopped, and was +going away again, when the weasel begged and prayed +him not to leave him to die there in the dark.</p> + +<p>"'Very well,' said the rat, 'I will send the cricket +to sing to you. In a day or two you will see the chink +get bigger, and meantime you can eat your tail; and +as you will get very thin, you will be able to creep +through a very small hole and get out all the quicker. +Ha! ha! As for me, I am going to have a capital +dinner from Pan's dish, for he has fallen asleep in his +tub.'</p> + +<p>"So the weasel was left to himself, and though he +watched and watched, he could not see the chink open +in the least, and he got so dreadfully hungry that at +last, after sucking his paws, he was obliged to bring his +tail round and begin to gnaw it a little bit. The pain +was dreadful, but he could not help himself, he was +obliged to do it or die. In the evening the cricket +came, as the rat had promised, to the top of the +chink, and at once began to sing. He sang all about +the lady cricket with whom he was in love, and then +about the beautiful stars that were shining in the sky, +and how nice it was to be a cricket, for the crickets +were by far the most handsome and clever of all creatures, +and everybody would like to be a cricket if they +could.</p> + +<p>"Next, he went on to praise himself, that his lady +might hear what fine limbs he had, and so noble a +form, and such a splendid chink to live in. Thus he +kept on the livelong night, and all about himself; and +his chirp, chirp, chirp filled the weasel's prison with +such a noise that the wretched thing could not sleep. +He kept asking the cricket to tell him if the rat had +really done anything to enlarge the chink; but the +cricket was too busy to answer him till the dawn, and +then, having finished his song, he found time to attend +to the weasel.</p> + +<p>"'You have been very rude,' he said, 'to keep on +talking while I was singing, but I suppose, as you are +only an ignorant weasel, you do not understand good +manners, and therefore I will condescend so far as to +inform you of the measures taken by my noble friend +the rat to get you out. If you were not so extremely +ignorant and stupid you would guess what he has +done.'</p> + +<p>"Now all this was very bitter to the weasel, who +had always thought he knew everything, to be insulted +by a cricket; still he begged to be told what it was. +'The rat,' went on the cricket, 'has brought a little +piece from a fungus, and has scratched a hole beside +the stone and put it in there. Now, when this begins to +grow and the fungus pushes up, it will move the stone +and open a chink. In this way I have seen my lord +the rat heave up the heaviest paving stones and make +a road for himself. Now are you not stupid?' Then +the cricket went home to bed.</p> + +<p>"All day long the miserable weasel lay on the floor +of his prison, driven every now and then to gnaw his +tail till he squeaked with the pain. The only thing +that kept him from despair was the hope of the revenge +he would have, if ever he did get out, on those who had +laid the trap for him. For hours he lay insensible, and +only woke up when the rat looked down the chink and +asked him, with a jolly chuckle, how his tail tasted, +and then went off without waiting for an answer. +Then the cricket came again, and taking not the least +notice of the prisoner, sang all night.</p> + +<p>"In the morning the weasel looked up, and saw +that the chink had really opened. He crawled to it, +he was so faint he could not walk, so he had to crawl +over the floor, which was all red with his own blood. +The fungus, a thick, yellowish-green thing, like a very +large and unwholesome mushroom, was growing fast, +so fast he could see it move, and very slowly it shoved +and lifted up the stone. The chink was now so far +open that in his thin, emaciated state, the weasel +could have got through; but he was so weak he could +not climb up. He called to the rat, and the rat came +and tried to reach him, but it was just a little too far +down.</p> + +<p>"'If I only had something to drink,' said the +weasel, 'only one drop of water, I think I could do it, +but I am faint from thirst.'</p> + +<p>"Off ran the rat to see what he could do, and as he +passed the tub where Pan lived he saw a bowl of water +just pumped for the spaniel. The bowl was of wood +with a projecting handle—not a ring to put the fingers +through, but merely a short straight handle. He went +round to the other side of the tub in which Pan was +dozing and began to scratch. Directly Pan heard the +scratching:—</p> + +<p>"'Ho! ho!' said he, 'that's that abominable rat +that steals my food,' and he darted out, and in his +tremendous hurry his chain caught the handle of the +bowl, just as the rat had hoped it would. Over went +the bowl, and all the water was spilt, but the rat, the +instant he heard Pan coming, had slipped away back to +the weasel.</p> + +<p>"When Pan was tired of looking where he had +heard the scratching, he went back to take a lap, but +found the bowl upset, and that all the water had run +down the drain. As he was very thirsty after gnawing +a salt bacon-bone, he set up a barking, and the dairy-maid +ran out, thinking it was a beggar, and began to +abuse him for being so clumsy as to knock over his +bowl. Pan barked all the louder, so she hit him with +the handle of her broom, and he went howling into his +tub. He vowed vengeance against the rat, but that +did not satisfy his thirst.</p> + +<p>"Meantime the water had run along the drain, +and though the fungus greedily sucked up most of it, +the weasel had a good drink. After that he felt better, +and he climbed up the chink, squeezing through and +dragging his raw tail behind him, till he nearly reached +the top. But there it was still a little tight, and he +could not manage to push through, not having strength +enough left. He felt himself slipping back again, and +called on the rat to save him. The rat without +ceremony leant down the chink, and caught hold of his +ear with his teeth, and snipped it so tight he bit it right +through, but he dragged the weasel out.</p> + +<p>"There he lay a long time half dead and exhausted, +under a dock leaf which hid him from view. The rat +began to think that the weasel would die after all, so +he came and said: 'Wake up, coward, and come with +me into the cart-house; there is a very nice warm hole +there, and I will tell you something; if you stay here +very likely the bailiff may see you, and if Pan should +be let loose he will sniff you out in a second'. So the +weasel, with very great difficulty, dragged himself into +the cart-house, and found shelter in the hole.</p> + +<p>"Now the rat, though he had helped the weasel, +did not half like him, for he was afraid to go to sleep +while the weasel was about, lest his guest should +fasten on his throat, for he knew he was treacherous to +the last degree. He cast about in his mind how to get +rid of him, and at the same time to serve his own +purpose. By-and-by he said that there was a mouse +in the cart-house who had a very plump wife, and two +fat little mouses. At this the weasel pricked up his +ears, for he was so terribly hungry, and sat up and +asked where they were. The rat said the wife and the +children were up in the beam; the wood had rotted, +and they had a hole there, but he was afraid the mouse +himself was away from home just then, most likely in +the corn-bin, where the barley-meal for the pigs was +kept.</p> + +<p>"'Never mind,' said the weasel, eagerly, 'the wife +and the baby mice will do very well,' and up he started +and climbed up through the rat's hole in the wall to +the roof, and then into the hole in the beam, where he +had a good meal on the mice. Now the rat hated this +mouse because he lived so near, and helped himself to +so much food, and being so much smaller, he could get +about inside the house where you live, Bevis, without +being seen, and so got very fat, and made the rat +jealous. He thought, too, that when the weasel had +eaten the wife and the babies, that he would be strong +enough to go away. Presently the weasel came down +from his meal, and looked so fierce and savage that the +rat, strong as he was, was still more anxious to get rid +of him as quickly as possible.</p> + +<p>"He told the weasel that there was a way by +which he could get to the corn-bin without the least +danger, though it was close to the house, and there he +would be certain to find the mouse himself, and very +likely another Miss Mouse whom he used to meet there. +At this the weasel was so excited he could hardly wait +to be shown the way, and asked the rat to put him in +the road directly; he was so hungry he did not care +what he did. Without delay the rat took him to the +mouth of the hole, and told him to stay there and +listen a minute to be sure that no one was coming. If +he could not hear any footsteps, all he had to do was +to rush across the road there, only two or three yards, +to the rough grass, the dandelions, and the docks +opposite. Just there there was an iron grating made +in the wall of the house to let in the air and keep the +rats out; but one of the bars had rusted off and was +broken, and that was the mouse's track to the corn-bin.</p> + +<p>"The weasel put out his head, glanced round, saw +no one, and without waiting to listen rushed out into +the roadway. In an instant the rat pushed against a +small piece of loose stone, which he kept for the +purpose, and it fell down and shut up the mouth of his +hole. As the weasel was running across the roadway +suddenly one of the labourers came round the corner +with a bucket of food for the pigs. Frightened beyond +measure, the weasel hastened back to the rat's hole, +but could not get in because of the stone. Not +knowing what to do, he ran round the cart-house, +where there was some grass under the wall, with the +man coming close behind him. Now it was just there +that the bailiff had set the gin for the rat, near the +mouth of the drain, but the rat knew all about it, and +used the other hole.</p> + +<p>"The grass, knowing that we wished to drive the +weasel that way into the gin, had tried to grow faster +and hide the trap, but could not get on very well +because the weather was so dry. But that morning, +when the rat upset Pan's bowl of water, and it ran +down the drain, some part of it reached the roots of the +grass and moistened them, then the grass shot up quick +and quite hid the trap, except one little piece. Now, +seeing the weasel rushing along in his fright, the grass +was greatly excited, but did not know what to do to +hide this part, so the grass whispered to his friend the +wind to come to his help.</p> + +<p>"This the wind was very ready to do, for this +reason—he hated to smell the decaying carcases of the +poor creatures the weasel killed, and left to rot and to +taint the air, so that it quite spoilt his morning ramble +over the fields. With a puff the wind came along and +blew a dead leaf, one of last year's leaves, over the trap, +and so hid it completely.</p> + +<p>"The weasel saw the mouth of the drain, and +thinking to be safe in a minute darted at it, and was +snapped up by the gin. The sudden shock deprived +him of sense or motion, and well for him it did, for had +he squeaked or moved ever so little the man with the +bucket must have seen or heard him. After a time he +came to himself, and again began to beg the rat to +help him; but the rat, having had his revenge on the +mouse, did not much care to trouble about it, and, +besides, he remembered how very wolfish and fierce the +weasel had looked at him when in his hole. At least +he thought he would have a night's sleep in comfort +first, for he had been afraid to sleep a wink with the +weasel so near. Now the weasel was in the gin he +could have a nap.</p> + +<p>"All night long the weasel was in the gin, and to +a certainty he would have been seen—for the bailiff +would have been sure to come and look at his trap—but +if you remember, Bevis, dear, that was the very +day you were lost (while asleep under the oak), and +everything was confusion, and the gin was forgotten. +Well, in the morning the weasel begged so piteously +of the rat to help him again, that the rat began to +think he would, now he had had a good sleep, when +just as he was peeping out along you came, Bevis, dear, +and found the weasel in the gin.</p> + +<p>"Now, I daresay you remember the talk you had +with the weasel, and what the mouse said; well, the +rat was listening all the while, and he heard the +weasel say to you that he always killed the rats. +'Aha!' thought the rat, 'catch me helping you again, +sir;' and the weasel heard him say it. So when you +stepped on the spring and loosed the weasel, he did +not dare go into the drain, knowing that the rat +(while awake) was stronger than he, but hobbled as +well as he could across to the wood-pile. There he +stopped, exhausted, and stiff from his wounds. Meantime +the rat deliberated how best he could drive the +treacherous weasel away from the place.</p> + +<p>"At night, accordingly, he cautiously left his hole +and went across to the tub where Pan was sleeping, +curled up comfortably within. The end of Pan's +chain, where it was fastened to the staple outside the +tub, was not of iron, but tar-cord. The last link had +been broken, and it was therefore tied in this manner. +The rat easily gnawed through the tar-cord, and then +slipped back to his hole to await events. About the +middle of the night, when the weasel had rested and +began to stir out, Pan woke up, and seeing that it was +light, stepped out to bay at the moon. He immediately +found that his chain was undone, and rushed +about to try and find some water, being very thirsty. +He had not gone very far before he smelt the weasel, +and instantly began to chase him. The weasel, +however, slipped under a faggot, and so across and +under the wood-pile, where he was safe; but he was +so alarmed that presently he crept out the other side, +and round by the pig-sty, and so past the stable to +the rick-yard, and then into the hedge, and he never +stopped running, stiff as he was, till he was half-a-mile +away in the ash copse and had crept into a +rabbit's hole. He could not have got away from the +wood-pile, only Pan, being so thirsty, gave up looking +for him, and went down to the brook.</p> + +<p>"In the morning, as they thought Pan had broken +his chain, they kicked the spaniel howling into his +tub again. And now comes the sad part of it, Bevis, +dear. You must know that when the weasel was in +the trap we all thought it was quite safe, and that our +enemy was done for at last, and so we went off to a +dancing-party, on the short grass of the downs by +moonlight, leaving our leverets to nibble near the +wheat. We stayed at the dancing-party so late that +the dawn came and we were afraid to go home in the +daylight, and next night we all felt so merry we had +another dance, and again danced till it was morning.</p> + +<p>"While we were sleeping in the day, the weasel, +having now recovered a good deal, crept out from the +rabbit-hole in the copse. We were so far off, you see, +the mice could not send us word that he had escaped +from the gin in time, and, indeed, none of them knew +exactly where to find us; they told the swallows, and +the swallows searched, but missed us. The wind, too, +blew as many ways as he could to try and reach us, +but he had to blow east that day, and could not +manage it. If we had only been at home we should +have been on the watch; but my poor leveret, and my +two friends' poor leverets, were sleeping so comfortably +when the wicked weasel stole on them one by one, +and bit their necks and killed them. He could not eat +them, nor half of them, he only killed them for revenge, +and oh! dear little Sir Bevis, what shall I do? what +shall I do?"</p> + +<p>"I will kill the weasel," said Bevis. "He is dreadfully +wicked. I will shoot him this minute with my +bow and arrow."</p> + +<p>But when he looked round he had got neither of +them; he had dropped the bow in the Home Field +when he jumped into the ditch to scramble through the +hedge, and he had wandered so far among the cowslips +that he could not see the arrow. Bevis looked all +round again, and did not recognise any of the trees, +nor the hedges, nor could he see the house nor the +ricks, nor anything that he knew. His face flushed +up, and the tears came into his eyes; he was lost.</p> + +<p>"Don't cry," said the hare, much pleased at the +eagerness with which he took up the quarrel against +the weasel; "don't cry, darling, I will show you the +way home and where to find your arrow. It is not +very far, though you cannot see it because of the +ground rising between you and it. But will you really +kill the weasel next time?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, indeed I will," said Bevis, "I will shoot my +arrow and kill him quite dead in a minute."</p> + +<p>"But I am not sure you can hit him with your +arrow; don't you remember that you could not hit the +greenfinches nor the rook?"</p> + +<p>"Well then," said Bevis, "if you will wait till I +am a man, papa will lend me his gun, and then I can +certainly kill him."</p> + +<p>"But that will be such a long time, Sir Bevis; did +not your papa tell you you would have to eat another +peck of salt before you could have a gun?"</p> + +<p>"Then I know what I will do," said Bevis, "I will +shoot the weasel with my brass cannon. Ah, that +is the way! And I know where papa keeps his gunpowder; +it is in a tin canister on the topmost shelf, +and I will tell you how I climb up there. First, I +bring the big arm-chair, and then I put the stool on +that, and then I stand on the lowest shelf, and I can +just reach the canister."</p> + +<p>"Take care, Sir Bevis," said the hare, "take care, +and do not open the canister where there is a fire in +the room, or a candle, because a spark may blow you +up just when you are not thinking."</p> + +<p>"Oh! I know all about that; I'll take care," said +Bevis, "and I will shoot the wretch of a weasel in no +time. Now please show me the way home."</p> + +<p>"So I will; you stay there till I come to you, I +will run round by the gateway."</p> + +<p>"Why not come straight through the hedge?" +said Bevis, "you could easily creep through, I'm sure."</p> + +<p>"No, dear. I must not come that way, that road +belongs to another hare, and I must not trespass."</p> + +<p>"But you can run where you like—can you +not?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, dear no; all the hares have different roads, +Sir Bevis, and if I were to run along one of theirs +that did not belong to me, to-night they would bite me +and thump me with their paws till I was all bruised."</p> + +<p>"I can't see any path," said Bevis, "you can run +where you like in the field, I'm sure."</p> + +<p>"No, I can't, dear; I shall have to go a quarter of +a mile round to come to you, because there are three +paths between you and me, and I shall have to turn +and twist about not to come on them."</p> + +<p>While Bevis was thinking about this, and how +stupid it was of the hares to have roads, the hare ran +off, and in two or three minutes came to him through +the cowslips. "Oh, you pretty creature!" said Sir +Bevis, stooping down and stroking her back, and playing +with the tips of her long ears. "Oh, I do love you +so!" At this the hare was still more pleased, and +rubbed her head against Bevis's hand.</p> + +<p>"Now," she said, "you must come along quickly, +because I dare not stay on this short grass, lest some +dog should see me. Follow me, dear." She went on +before him, and Bevis ran behind, and in a minute +or two they went over the rising ground, past the +tall stone (put there for the cows to rub their sides +against), and then the hare stopped and showed Bevis +the great oak tree, where he once went to sleep. She +told him to look at it well, and recollect the shape of it, +so that another time he could find his way home by +the tree. Then she told him to walk straight to the +tree, and on his way there he would find the arrow, +and close by the tree was the gap in the hedge, and +when he got through the gap, he would see the house and +the ricks, and if he followed the ditch then he would +presently come to the place where he dropped his bow. +"Thank you," said Bevis, "I will run as fast as I +can, for I am sure it must be nearly dinner time. +Good-bye, you pretty creature;" and having stroked +her ears just once more, off he started. In a few +minutes he found his arrow, and looked back to show +it to the hare, but she was gone; so he went on to the +oak, got through the gap, and there was the house at +the other side of the field. He could hear Pan barking, +so he felt quite at home, and walked along the ditch +till he picked up his bow. He was very hungry when +he got home, and yet he was glad when the dinner was +over, that he might go to the cupboard and get his +brass cannon.</p> + +<p>When he came to examine the cannon, and to +think about shooting the weasel with it, he soon +found that it would not do very well, because he could +not hold it in his hand and point it straight, and when +it went off it would most likely burn his fingers. But +looking at his papa's gun he saw that the barrel, where +the powder is put in, was fixed in a wooden handle +called the stock, so he set to work with his pocket-knife +to make a handle for his cannon. He cut a +long thick willow stick, choosing the willow because +it was soft and easiest to cut, and chipped away till +he had made a groove in it at one end in which he +put the cannon, fastening it in with a piece of thin +copper wire twisted round. Next he cut a ramrod, +and then he loaded his gun, and fired it off with a +match to see how it went.</p> + +<p>This he did at the bottom of the orchard, a long +way from the house, for he was afraid that if they saw +what he was doing they might take it from him, so he +kept it hidden in the summer-house under an old sack. +The cannon went off with a good bang, and the shot he +had put in it stuck in the bark of an apple tree. Bevis +jumped about with delight, and thought he could now +kill the weasel. It was too late to start that day, but +the next morning off he marched with his gun into the +Home Field, and having charged it behind the shelter +of a tree out of sight, began his chase for the weasel. +</p> + +<p>All round the field he went, looking carefully into +the ditch and the hedge, and asking at all the rabbits'-holes +if they knew where the scoundrel was. The +rabbits knew very well, but they were afraid to answer, +lest the weasel should hear about it, and come and kill +the one that had betrayed him. Twice he searched up +and down without success, and was just going to call +to the hare to come and show him, when suddenly he +discovered a thrush sitting on her nest in a bush. He +put down his gun, and was going to see how many eggs +she had got, when the weasel (who had no idea he was +there) peeped over the bank, having a fancy for the +eggs, but afraid that the nest was too high for him to +reach.</p> + +<p>"Ho! Ho!" cried Bevis, "there you are. Now I +have you. Just stand still a minute, while I get my +gun and strike a match."</p> + +<p>"Whatever for?" asked the weasel, very innocently.</p> + +<p>"I am going to shoot you," said Bevis, busy getting +his gun ready.</p> + +<p>"Shoot <i>me</i>!" said the weasel, in a tone of the +utmost astonishment; "why ever do you want to +shoot me, Sir Bevis? Did I not tell you that I spent +all my life doing good?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, you rascal!" said Bevis, putting a pinch of +powder on the touch-hole, "you know you are a wicked +story-teller; you killed the poor leveret after I let you +loose. Now!" and he went down on one knee, and +put his cannon-stick on the other as a rest to keep it +straight.</p> + +<p>"Wait a minute," said the weasel, "just listen to +me a minute. I assure you——"</p> + +<p>"No; I sha'n't listen to you," said Bevis, striking +his match.</p> + +<p>"Oh," said the weasel, kneeling down, "if you will +only wait one second, I will tell you all the wickedness +I have committed. Don't, please, kill me before I have +got this load of guilt off my mind."</p> + +<p>"Well, make haste," said Bevis, aiming along his +cannon.</p> + +<p>"I will," said the weasel; "and first of all, if you +are going to kill me, why don't you shoot the thrush as +well, for she is ever so much more wicked and cruel +than I have been?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, what a dreadful story!" said the thrush. +"How can you say so?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, you are," said the weasel. "Sir Bevis, you +remember the two snails you found in the garden path—those +you put on a leaf, and watched to see which +could crawl the fastest?"</p> + +<p>"I remember," said Sir Bevis. "But you must +make haste, or my match will burn out."</p> + +<p>"And you recollect that the snails had no legs and +could not walk, and that they had no wings and could +not fly, and were very helpless creatures?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I remember; I left them on the path."</p> + +<p>"Well, directly you left them, out came this great +ugly speckled thrush from the shrubbery—you see how +big the thrush is, quite a monster beside the poor snails; +and you see what long legs she has, and great wings, +and such a strong, sharp beak. This cruel monster of +a thrush picked up the snails, one at a time, and +smashed them on the stones, and gobbled them up."</p> + +<p>"Well," said the thrush, much relieved, "is that +all? snails are very nice to eat."</p> + +<p>"Was it not brutally cruel?" asked the weasel.</p> + +<p>"Yes, it was," said Bevis.</p> + +<p>"Then," said the weasel, "when you shoot me, +shoot the thrush too."</p> + +<p>"So I will," said Bevis, "but how can I hit you +both?"</p> + +<p>"I will show you," said the weasel. "I will walk +along the bank till I am just in a line with the thrush's +nest, and then you can take aim at both together."</p> + +<p>So he went along the bank and stopped behind +the nest, and Bevis moved his cannon-stick and took +another aim.</p> + +<p>"Dear me!" cried the thrush, dreadfully alarmed, +"you surely are not going to shoot me? I never did +any harm. Bevis, stop—listen to me!"</p> + +<p>Now if the thrush had flown away she might have +escaped, but she was very fond of talking, and while +she was talking Bevis was busy getting his gun ready.</p> + +<p>"It is straight now," said the weasel; "it is +pointed quite straight. Hold it still there, and I will +sit so that I shall die quick;—here is my bosom. Tell +the hare to forgive me."</p> + +<p>"Oh," said the thrush, "don't shoot!"</p> + +<p>"Shoot!" cried the weasel.</p> + +<p>Bevis dropped his match on the touch-hole, puff +went the priming, and bang went the cannon. Directly +the smoke had cleared away, Bevis looked in the ditch, +to see the dead weasel and the thrush. There was +the thrush right enough, quite dead, and fallen out +of the nest; the nest, too, was knocked to pieces, and +the eggs had fallen out (two were broken), but there +was one not a bit smashed, lying on the dead leaves at +the bottom of the ditch. But the weasel was nowhere +to be seen.</p> + +<p>"Weasel," cried Bevis, "where are you?" But +the weasel did not answer. Bevis looked everywhere, +over the bank and round about, but could not find him. +At last he saw that under some grass on the bank there +was a small rabbit's-hole. Now the weasel had sat up +for Bevis to shoot him right over this hole, and when +he saw him move the match, just as the priming went +puff, the weasel dropped down into the hole, and the +shot went over his head.</p> + +<p>Bevis was very angry when he saw how the weasel +had deceived him, and felt so sorry for the poor thrush, +whose speckled breast was all pierced by the shot, and +who would never sing any more. He did not know +what to do, he was so cross; but presently he ran +home to fetch Pan, to see if Pan could hunt out the +weasel.</p> + +<p>When he had gone a little way the weasel came +out of the hole, and went down into the ditch and +feasted on the thrush's egg, which he could not have +got had not the shot knocked the nest to pieces, just as +he had contrived. He never tasted so sweet an egg as +that one, and as he sucked it up he laughed as he +thought how cleverly he had deceived them all. When +he heard Pan bark he went back into the hole, and so +along the hedge till he reached the copse; and then +creeping into another hole, a very small one, where no +dog could get at him, he curled himself up very comfortably +and went to sleep.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV"></a>CHAPTER IV.</h2> + +<h3>BROOK-FOLK.</h3> + + +<p>Some time afterwards it happened one morning that +Bevis was sitting on a haycock in the Home Field, +eating a very large piece of cake, and thinking how +extremely greedy the young rook was yonder across +the meadow. For he was as big and as black as his +father and mother, who were with him; and yet he +kept on cawing to them to stuff his beak with sweets. +Bevis, who had another large slice in his pocket, having +stolen both of them from the cupboard just after breakfast, +felt angry to see such greediness, and was going to +get up to holloa at this ill-mannered rook, when he +heard a grasshopper making some remarks close by the +haycock.</p> + +<p>"S——s," said the grasshopper to a friend, "are +you going down to the brook? I am, in a minute, so +soon as I have hopped round this haycock, for there +will be a grand show there presently. All the birds are +going to bathe, as is their custom on Midsummer Day, +and will be sure to appear in their best feathers. It is +true some of them have bathed already, as they have to +leave early in the morning, having business elsewhere. +I spoke to the cricket just now on the subject, but he +could not see that it was at all interesting. He is very +narrow-minded, as you know, and cannot see anything +beyond the mound where he lives. S——s."</p> + +<p>"S——s," replied the other grasshopper; "I will +certainly jump that way so soon as I have had a chat +with my lady-love, who is waiting for me on the other +side of the furrow. S——s."</p> + +<p>"S——s, we shall meet by the drinking-place," said +the first grasshopper; and was just hopping off when +Bevis asked him what the birds went down to bathe +for.</p> + +<p>"I'm sure I do not know," said the grasshopper, +speaking fast, for he was rather in a hurry to be gone, +he never could stand still long together. "All I can +tell you is that on Midsummer Day every one of the +birds has to go down to the brook and walk in and +bathe; and it has been the law for so many, many +years that no one can remember when it began. They +like it very much, because they can show off their fine +feathers, which are just now in full colour; and if you +like to go with me you will be sure to enjoy it."</p> + +<p>"So I will," said Bevis, and he followed the grasshopper, +who hopped so far at every step that he had to +walk fast to keep up with him. "But why do the +birds do it?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, I don't know why," said the grasshopper; +"what is why?"</p> + +<p>"I want to know," said Bevis, "why do they do +it?"</p> + +<p>"Why?" repeated the grasshopper; "I never heard +anybody say anything about that before. There is +always a great deal of talking going on, for the trees +have nothing else to do but to gossip with each other; +but they never ask why."</p> + +<p>After that they went on in silence a good way +except that the grasshopper cried "S——s" to his +friends in the grass as he passed, and said good-morning +also to a mole who peeped out for a moment.</p> + +<p>"Why don't you hop straight?" said Bevis, presently. +"It seems to me that you hop first one side +and then the other, and go in such a zig-zag fashion it +will take us hours to reach the brook."</p> + +<p>"How very stupid you are," said the grasshopper. +"If you go straight of course you can only see just +what is under your feet, but if you go first this way +and then that, then you see everything. You are +nearly as silly as the ants, who never see anything +beautiful all their lives. Be sure you have nothing to +do with the ants, Bevis; they are a mean, wretched, +miserly set, quite contemptible and beneath notice. +Now I go everywhere all round the field, and spend my +time searching for lovely things; sometimes I find +flowers, and sometimes the butterflies come down into +the grass and tell me the news, and I am so fond of +the sunshine, I sing to it all day long. Tell me, now, +is there anything so beautiful as the sunshine and the +blue sky, and the green grass, and the velvet and blue +and spotted butterflies, and the trees which cast such a +pleasant shadow and talk so sweetly, and the brook +which is always running? I should like to listen to it +for a thousand years."</p> + +<p>"I like you," said Bevis; "jump into my hand, and +I will carry you." He held his hand out flat, and in a +second up sprang the grasshopper, and alighted on his +palm, and told him the way to go, and thus they went +together merrily.</p> + +<p>"Are you sure the ants are so very stupid and +wicked?" asked Bevis, when the grasshopper had +guided him through a gateway into the meadow by the +brook.</p> + +<p>"Indeed I am. It is true they declare that it is I +who am wrong, and never lose a chance of chattering +at me, because they are always laying up a store, and I +wander about, laughing and singing. But then you +see, Bevis dear, they are quite demented, and so led +away by their greedy, selfish wishes that they do not +even know that there is a sun. They say they cannot +see it, and do not believe there is any sunshine, nor do +they believe there are any stars. Now I do not sing at +night, but I always go where I can see a star. I slept +under a mushroom last night, and he told me he was +pushing up as fast as he could before some one came +and picked him to put on a gridiron. I do not lay up +any store, because I know I shall die when the summer +ends, and what is the use of wealth then? My store +and my wealth is the sunshine, dear, and the blue sky, +and the green grass, and the delicious brook who never +ceases sing, sing, singing all day and night. And all +the things are fond of me, the grass and the flowers, +and the birds, and the animals, all of them love me. +So you see I am richer than all the ants put together." +"I would rather be you than an ant," said Bevis. +"I think I shall take you home and put you under a +glass-case on the mantelpiece."</p> + +<p>Off jumped the grasshopper in a moment, and fell +so lightly on the grass it did not hurt him in the least, +though it was as far as if Bevis had tumbled down out +of the clouds. Bevis tried to catch him, but he jumped +so nimbly this way and that, and hopped to and fro, +and lay down in the grass, so that his green coat could +not be seen. Bevis got quite hot trying to catch him, +and seeing this, the grasshopper, much delighted, cried +out: "Are you not the stupid boy everybody is laughing +at for letting the weasel go? You will never catch +the weasel."</p> + +<p>"I'll stamp on you," said Bevis, in a great rage.</p> + +<p>"S——s," called the grasshopper—who was frightened +at this—to his friends, and in a minute there were +twenty of them jumping all round in every direction, +and as they were all just alike Bevis did not know +which to run after. When he looked up there was the +brook close by, and the drinking-place where the birds +were to meet and bathe. It was a spot where the +ground shelved gently down from the grass to the +brook; the stream was very shallow and flowed over +the sandy bottom with a gentle murmur.</p> + +<p>He went down to the brook and stood on the bank, +where it was high near a bush at the side of the +drinking-place. "Ah, dear little Sir Bevis!" whispered +a reed, bending towards him as the wind blew, +"please do not come any nearer, the bank is steep and +treacherous, and hollow underneath where the water-rats +run. So do not lean over after the forget-me-nots—they +are too far for you. Sit down where you are, +behind that little bush, and I will tell you all about the +bathing." Bevis sat down and picked a June rose +from a briar that trailed over the bush, and asked why +the birds bathed.</p> + +<p>"I do not know why," said the reed. "There is +no why at all. We have been listening to the brook, +me and my family, for ever so many thousands of years, +and though the brook has been talking and singing all +that time, I never heard him ask why about anything. +And the great oak, where you went to sleep, has been +there, goodness me, nobody can tell how long, and every +one of his leaves (he has had millions of them) have all +been talking, but not one of them ever asked why; nor +does the sun, nor the stars which I see every night +shining in the clear water down there, so that I am +quite sure there is no why at all.</p> + +<p>"But the birds come down to bathe every Midsummer +Day, the goldfinches, and the sparrows, and +the blackbirds, and the thrushes, and the swallows, and +the wrens, and the robins, and almost every one of +them, except two or three, whose great-grandfathers +got into disgrace a long while ago. The rooks do not +come because they are thieves, and steal the mussels, +nor the crows, who are a very bad lot; the swan does +not come either, unless the brook is muddy after a +storm. The swan is so tired of seeing himself in the +water that he quite hates it, and that is the reason he +holds his neck so high, that he may not see more of +himself than he can help.</p> + +<p>"It is no use your asking the brook why they +come, because even if he ever knew, he has forgotten. +For the brook, though he sparkles so bright in the +sun, and is so clear and sweet, and looks so young, +is really so very, very old that he has quite lost his +memory, and cannot remember what was done yesterday. +He did not even know which way the moor-hen +went just now, when I inquired, having a message to +send to my relations by the osier-bed yonder.</p> + +<p>"But I have heard the heron say—he is talkative +sometimes at night when you are asleep, dear; he +was down here this morning paddling about—that +the birds in the beginning learnt to sing by listening +to the brook, and perhaps that is the reason they pay +him such deep respect. Besides, everybody knows +that according to an ancient prophecy which was delivered +by the raven before he left this country, if only +the birds can all bathe in the brook on Midsummer +Day and hold their tongues, and not abuse one another +or quarrel, they will be able to compose their differences, +and ever afterwards live happily together.</p> + +<p>"Then they could drive away the hawk, for there +is only one hawk to ten thousand finches, and if they +only marched shoulder to shoulder all together they +could kill him with ease. They could smother the +cat even, by all coming down at once upon her, or +they could carry up a stone and drop on her head; +and as for the crow, that old coward, if he saw them +coming he would take wing at once. But as they +cannot agree, the hawk, and the cat, and the crow do +as they like. For the chaffinches all fight one another, +you heard them challenging, and saw them go to +battle, and then when at last they leave off and are +good fellows again, they all flock together and will +have nothing to do with the goldfinches, or the blackbirds. +It is true the wood-pigeons, and the rooks, and +the starlings, and the fieldfares and redwings are often +about in the same field, but that is only because they +eat the same things; if a hawk comes they all fly away +from each other, and do not unite and fight him as +they might do.</p> + +<p>"But if once they could come down to the brook +on Midsummer Day, and never quarrel, then, according +to the prophecy I told you of, all this diversity +would cease, and they would be able to do just as +they pleased, and build three or four nests in the +summer instead of one, and drive away and kill all +the hawks, and crows, and cats. They tried to do it, +I can't tell you how many years, but they could never +succeed, for there was always a dispute about something, +so at last they gave it up, and it was almost +forgotten (for they came to the conclusion that it was +no use to try), till last year, when the mole, the one +that spoke to the grasshopper just now, reminded +them of it.</p> + +<p>"Now the reason the mole reminded them of it was +because one day a hawk came down too quick for his +wife (who was peeping out of doors), and snapped her +up in a minute, so he bore the hawk a grudge, and set +about to seek for vengeance. And as he could not fly +or get at the hawk he thought he would manage it +through the other birds. So one morning when the +green woodpecker came down to pick up the ants +with his tongue, the mole looked out and promised +to show him where there was a capital feast, and to +turn up the ground for him, if in return he would fly +all round the forest and the fields, and cry shame on +the birds for letting the hawk go on as he did when +they could so easily prevent it, just by holding their +tongues one day.</p> + +<p>"This the woodpecker promised to do, and after he +had feasted off he went, and having tapped on a tree to +call attention, he began to cry shame upon them, and +having a very loud voice he soon let them know his +mind. At which the birds resolved to try again, and, +do you know, last year they very nearly succeeded. +For it rained hard all Midsummer Day, and when the +birds came down to the brook they were so bedraggled, +and benumbed, and cold, and unhappy, that they had +nothing to say for themselves, but splashed about in +silence, and everything would have happened just right +had not a rook, chancing to pass over, accidentally +dropped something he was carrying in his bill, which +fell into the flags there.</p> + +<p>"The starling forgot himself, and remarked he +supposed it was an acorn; when the wood-pigeon +called him a donkey, as the acorns were not yet ripe, +nor large enough to eat; and the usual uproar began +again. But afterwards, when they talked it over, they +said to each other that, as they had so nearly done it, it +must be quite possible, and next year they would all +hold their tongues as tight as wax, though the sun +should drop out of the sky. Now the hawk, of course, +being so high up, circling round, saw and heard all this, +and he was very much alarmed, as they had so nearly +succeeded; and he greatly feared lest next year, what +he had dreaded so long would come to pass, as the +raven had foretold.</p> + +<p>"So he flew down and took counsel of his ancient +friend the weasel. What they said I cannot tell you, +nor has it been found out, but I have no doubt they +made up something wicked between them, and it is +greatly to be regretted that you let the weasel go, for +the hawk, sharp as he is, is not very clever at anything +new, and if he had not got the weasel to advise him I +suspect he would not be much after all. We shall see +presently what they have contrived—I am much +mistaken if they have not put their heads together for +something. Do you keep quite still, Bevis dear, when +the birds come, and take care and not frighten them."</p> + +<p>"I will," said Bevis; "I will be very quiet."</p> + +<p>"It is my turn to tell you a story now," said a +green flag waving to and fro in the brook. "The reed +has been talking too much."</p> + +<p>"No, it is my turn," said a perch from the water +under the bank. Bevis leaned over a little, and could +see the bars across his back and sides.</p> + +<p>"Hold your tongue," replied the flag; "you ate +the roach this morning, whose silvery scales used to +flash like a light under the water."</p> + +<p>"I will nibble you," said the perch, very angry. +"I will teach you to tell tales."</p> + +<p>"I will ask the willow, he is a very old friend of +mine, not to shake any more insects into the brook for +you from his leaves," replied the flag.</p> + +<p>"It was not I who ate the roach," said the perch; +"it was the pike, Bevis dear."</p> + +<p>"Indeed it was not," said the pike, coming forward +a little from under some floating weeds, where he had +been in hiding, so that Bevis could now see his long +body. "The perch says things that are not true."</p> + +<p>"You know you hate me," said the perch; "because +your great-great-grandfather swallowed mine in +a rage, and my great-great-grandfather's spines stuck +in your great-great-grandfather's throat and killed him. +And ever since then, Bevis dear, they have done nothing +but tell tales against me. I did not touch the roach; +the pike wanted him, I know, for breakfast."</p> + +<p>"I deny it," said the pike; "but if it was not the +perch it was the rat."</p> + +<p>"That's false," said the rat; "I have only this +minute come down to the brook. If it was not the +pike nor the perch, depend upon it it was the heron."</p> + +<p>"I am sure it was not the heron," said a beautiful +drake, who came swimming down the stream. "I was +here as early as any one, and I will not have my acquaintance +the heron accused in his absence. I assure +you it was not the heron."</p> + +<p>"Well, who did it then?" said Bevis.</p> + +<p>"The fact is," said a frog on the verge of the +stream, "they are all as bad as one another; the perch +is a rogue and a thief; the pike is a monster of iniquity; +the heron never misses a chance of gobbling up somebody; +and as for the drake, for all his glossy neck and his innocent +look, he is as ready to pick up anything as the rest."</p> + +<p>"Quack," cried the drake in a temper; "quack."</p> + +<p>"Hush!" said a tench from the bottom of a deep +hole under the bank—he was always a peacemaker. +"Hush! do stop the noise you are making. If you +would only lie quiet in the mud like me, how pleasant +you would find life."</p> + +<p>"Bevis," began the reed; "Bevis dear. Ah, ah!" +His voice died away, for as the sun got higher the +wind fell, and the reed could only speak while the +wind blew. The flag laughed as the reed was silenced.</p> + +<p>"You need not laugh," said the perch; "you can +only talk while the water waggles you. The horse +will come down to the brook to-morrow, and bite off +your long green tip, and then you will not be able to +start any more falsehoods about me."</p> + +<p>"The birds are coming," said the frog. "I should +like to swim across to the other side, where I can see +better, but I am afraid of the pike and the drake. +Bevis dear, fling that piece of dead stick at them."</p> + +<p>Bevis picked up the dead stick and flung it at the +drake, who hastened off down the stream; the pike, +startled at the splash, darted up the brook, and the +frog swam over in a minute. Then the birds began to +come down to the drinking-place, where the shore +shelved very gently, and the clear shallow water ran +over the sandy bottom. They were all in their very +best and brightest feathers, and as the sun shone on +them and they splashed the water and strutted about, +Bevis thought he had never seen anything so beautiful.</p> + +<p>They did not all bathe, for some of them were +specially permitted only to drink instead, but they all +came, and all in their newest dresses. So bright was +the goldfinch's wing, that the lark, though she did not +dare speak, had no doubt she rouged. The sparrow, +brushed and neat, so quiet and subdued in his brown +velvet, looked quite aristocratic among so much flaunting +colour. As for the blackbird, he had carefully +washed himself in the spring before he came to bathe +in the brook, and he glanced round with a bold and +defiant air, as much as to say: "There is not one of you +who has so yellow a bill, and so beautiful a black coat +as I have". In the bush the bullfinch, who did not +care much to mix with the crowd, moved restlessly to +and fro. The robin looked all the time at Bevis, so +anxious was he for admiration. The wood-pigeon, very +consequential, affected not to see the dove, whom Bevis +longed to stroke, but could not, as he had promised the +reed to keep still.</p> + +<p>All this time the birds, though they glanced at one +another, and those who were on good terms, like the +chaffinch and the greenfinch, exchanged a nod, had not +spoken a word, and the reed, as a puff came, whispered +to Bevis that the prophecy would certainly come to +pass, and they would all be as happy as ever they could +be. Why ever did they not make haste and fly away, +now they had all bathed or sipped? The truth was, +they liked to be seen in their best feathers, and none of +them could make up their minds to be the first to go +home; so they strutted to and fro in the sunshine. +Bevis, in much excitement, could hardly refrain from +telling them to go.</p> + +<p>He looked up into the sky, and there was the hawk, +almost up among the white clouds, soaring round and +round, and watching all that was proceeding. Almost +before he could look down again a shadow went by, +and a cuckoo flew along very low, just over the +drinking-place.</p> + +<p>"Cuckoo!" he cried, "cuckoo! The goldfinch has +the prettiest dress," and off he went.</p> + +<p>Now the hawk had bribed the cuckoo, who was his +cousin, to do this, and the cuckoo was not at all +unwilling, for he had an interest himself in keeping +the birds divided, so he said that although he had made +up his mind to go on his summer tour, leaving his +children to be taken care of by the wagtail, he would +stop a day or two longer, to manage this little business. +No sooner had the cuckoo said this, than there was a +most terrible uproar, and all the birds cried out at once. +The blackbird was so disgusted that he flew straight +off, chattering all across the field and up the hedge. +The bullfinch tossed his head, and asked the goldfinch +to come up in the bush and see which was strongest. +The greenfinch and the chaffinch shrieked with derision; +the wood-pigeon turned his back, and said "Pooh!" +and went off with a clatter. The sparrow flew to tell +his mates on the house, and you could hear the chatter +they made about it, right down at the brook. But the +wren screamed loudest of all, and said that the goldfinch +was a painted impostor, and had not got half so +much gold as the yellow-hammer. So they were all +scattered in a minute, and Bevis stood up.</p> + +<p>"Ah!" said the reed, "I am very sorry. It was +the hawk's doings, I am sure, and he was put up to +the trick by the weasel, and now the birds will never +agree, for every year they will remember this. Is it +not a pity they are so vain? Bevis dear, you are going, +I see. Come down again, dear, when the wind blows +stronger, and I will tell you another story. Ah! ah!" +he sighed; and was silent as the puff ceased.</p> + +<p>Bevis, tired of sitting so long, went wandering up +the brook, peeping into the hollow willow trees, wishing +he could dive like the rats, and singing to the brook, +who sang to him again, and taught him a very old +tune. By-and-by he came to the hatch, where the +brook fell over with a splash, and a constant bubbling, +and churning, and gurgling. A kingfisher, who had +been perched on the rail of the hatch, flew off when he +saw Bevis, whistling: "Weep! weep!"</p> + +<p>"Why do you say, weep, weep?" said Bevis. "Is it +because the birds are so foolish?" But the kingfisher +did not stay to answer. The water rushing over the +hatch made so pleasant a sound that Bevis, delighted +with its tinkling music, sat down to listen and to watch +the bubbles, and see how far they would swim before +they burst. Then he threw little pieces of stick on the +smooth surface above the hatch to see them come +floating over and plunge under the bubbles, and presently +appear again by the foam on the other side +among the willow roots.</p> + +<p>Still more sweetly sang the brook, so that even +restless Bevis stayed to hearken, though he could not +quite make out what he was saying. A moor-hen stole +out from the rushes farther up, seeing that Bevis was +still enchanted with the singing, and began to feed +among the green weeds by the shore. A water-rat +came out of his hole and fed in the grass close by. A +blue dragon-fly settled on a water-plantain. Up in the +ash-tree a dove perched and looked down at Bevis. +Only the gnats were busy; they danced and danced till +Bevis thought they must be dizzy, just over the water.</p> + +<p>"Sing slower," said Bevis presently, "I want to +hear what you are saying." So the brook sang slower, +but then it was too low, and he could not catch the +words. Then he thought he should like to go over to +the other side, and see what there was up the high bank +among the brambles. He looked at the hatch, and saw +that there was a beam across the brook, brown with +weeds, which the water only splashed against and did +not cover deeply. By holding tight to the rail and putting +his feet on the beam he thought he could climb over.</p> + +<p>He went down nearer and took hold of the rail, and +was just going to put his foot on the beam, when the +brook stopped singing, and said: "Bevis dear, do not +do that; it is very deep here, and the beam is very +slippery, and if you should fall I would hold you up as +long as I could, but I am not very strong, and should +you come to harm I should be very unhappy. Do +please go back to the field, and if you will come down +some day when I am not in such a hurry, I will sing +to you very slowly, and tell you everything I know. +And if you come very gently, and on tip-toe, you will +see the kingfisher, or perhaps the heron." Bevis, when +he heard this, went back, and followed the hedge a +good way, not much thinking where he was going, but +strolling along in the shadow, and humming to himself +the tune he had learnt from the brook. By-and-by he +spied a gap in the hedge under an ash-tree, so he went +through in a minute, and there was a high bank with +trees like a copse, and bramble-bushes and ferns. He +went on up the bank, winding in and out the brambles, +and at last it was so steep he had to climb on his hands +and knees, and suddenly as he came round a bramble-bush +there was the Long Pond, such a great piece of +water, all gleaming in the sunshine and reaching far +away to the woods and the hills, as if it had no end.</p> + +<p>Bevis clapped his hands with delight, and was just +going to stand up, when something caught him by the +ankles; he looked round, and it was the bailiff, who +had had an eye on him all the time from the hayfield. +Bevis kicked and struggled, but it was no use; the +bailiff carried him home, and then went back with a +bill-hook, and cutting a thorn bush, stopped up the gap +in the hedge.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V"></a>CHAPTER V.</h2> + +<h3>KAPCHACK.</h3> + + +<p>"Q—q—q," Bevis heard a starling say some weeks +afterwards on the chimney-top one morning when he +woke up. The chimney was very old and big, and the +sound came down it to his room. "Q—q—q, my dear, +I will tell you a secret"—he was talking to his lady-love.</p> + +<p>"Phe-hu," she said, in a flutter. Bevis could hear +her wings go plainly. "Whatever is it? Do tell me."</p> + +<p>"Look all round first," he said, "and see that no +one is about."</p> + +<p>"No one is near, dear; the sparrows are out in the +corn, and the swallows are very high up; the blackbird +is busy in the orchard, and the robin is down at the red +currants; there's no one near. Is it a very great +secret?"</p> + +<p>"It is a very great secret indeed, and you must be +very careful not to whistle it out by accident; now if I +tell you will you keep your beak quite shut, darling?"</p> + +<p>"Quite."</p> + +<p>"Then, listen—Kapchack is in love."</p> + +<p>"Phe—hu—u; who is it? Is he going to be +married? How old is she? Who told you? When +did you hear it? Whatever will people say? Tell me +all about it, dear!"</p> + +<p>"The tomtit told me just now in the fir-tree; the +woodpecker told him on his promising that he would +not tell anybody else."</p> + +<p>"When is the marriage to come off, dear?" she +asked, interrupting him. "Kapchack—Phe—u!"</p> + +<p>Somebody came round the house, and away they +flew, just as Bevis was going to ask all about it. He +went to the window as soon as he was dressed, and as +he opened it he saw a fly on the pane; he thought he +would ask the fly, but instantly the fly began to fidget, +and finding that the top of the window was open out +he went, buzzing that Kapchack was in love. At +breakfast time a wasp came in—for the fruit was beginning +to ripen, and the wasps to get busy—and he +went all round the room saying that Kapchack was in +love, but he would not listen to anything Bevis asked, +he was so full of Kapchack. When Bevis ran out of +doors the robin on the palings immediately said: "Kapchack +is in love; do you know Kapchack is in love?" +and a second afterwards the wren flew up to the top of +the wood-pile and cried out just the same thing.</p> + +<p>Three finches passed him as he went up the garden, +telling each other that Kapchack was in love. The +mare in the meadow whinnied to her colt that Kapchack +was in love, and the cows went "boo" when +they heard it, and "booed" it to some more cows ever +so far away. The leaves on the apple-tree whispered +it, and the news went all down the orchard in a +moment; and everything repeated it. Bevis got into +his swing, and as he swung to and fro he heard it all +round him.</p> + +<p>A humble-bee went along the grass telling all the +flowers that were left, and then up into the elm, and +the elm told the ash, and the ash told the oak, and the +oak told the hawthorn, and it ran along the hedge till +it reached the willow, and the willow told the brook, +and the brook told the reeds, and the reeds told the +kingfisher, and the kingfisher went a mile down the +stream and told the heron, and the heron went up into +the sky and called it out as loud as he could, and a +rabbit heard it and told another rabbit, and he ran +across to the copse and told another, and he told a +mouse, and he told a butterfly, and the butterfly told a +moth, and the moth went into the great wood and told +another moth, and a wood-pigeon heard it and told +more wood-pigeons, and so everybody said: "Kapchack +is in love!"</p> + +<p>"But I thought it was a great secret," said Bevis to +a thrush, "and that nobody knew it, except the tomtit, +and the woodpecker, and the starling; and, besides, +who is Kapchack?" The thrush was in the bushes +where they came to the haha, and when he heard Bevis +ask who Kapchack was, he laughed, and said he should +tell everybody that Bevis, who shot his uncle with the +cannon-stick, was so very, very stupid he did not know +who Kapchack was. Ha! Ha! Could anybody be so +ignorant? he should not have believed it if he had not +heard it.</p> + +<p>Bevis, in a rage at this, jumped out of the swing +and threw a stone at the thrush, and so well did he +fling it that if the thrush had not slipped under a +briar he would have had a good thump. Bevis went +wandering round the garden, and into his summer-house, +when he heard some sparrows in the ivy on the +roof all chattering about Kapchack, and out he ran to +ask them, but they were off in a second to go and tell +the yellow-hammers. Bevis stamped his foot, he was +so cross because nobody would tell him about Kapchack, +and he could not think what to do, till as +he was looking round the garden he saw the rhubarb, +and remembered the old toad. Very likely the toad +would know; he was so old, and knew almost everything. +Away he ran to the rhubarb and looked under +the piece of wood, and there was the toad asleep, just +as he always was.</p> + +<p>He was so firm asleep, he did not know what Bevis +said, till Bevis got a twig and poked him a little. +Then he yawned and woke up, and asked Bevis what +time it was, and how long it would be before the moon +rose.</p> + +<p>"I want to know who Kapchack is, this minute," +said Bevis, "this <i>very</i> minute, mind."</p> + +<p>"Well I never!" said the toad, "well I never! +Don't you know?"</p> + +<p>"Tell me directly—this very minute—you horrid +old toad!"</p> + +<p>"Don't you really know?" said the toad.</p> + +<p>"I'll have you shovelled up, and flung over to the +pigs, if you don't tell me," said Bevis. "No, I'll get +my cannon-stick, and shoot you! No, here's a big +stone—I'll smash you! I hate you! Who's Kapchack?"</p> + +<p>"Kapchack," said the toad, not in the least frightened, +"Kapchack is the magpie; and he is king over +everything and everybody—over the fly and the wasp, +and the finches, and the heron, and the horse, and the +rabbit, and the flowers, and the trees. Kapchack, the +great and mighty magpie, is the king," and the toad +bumped his chin on the ground, as if he stood before +the throne, so humble was he at the very name of +Kapchack. Then he shut one eye in a very peculiar +manner, and put out his tongue.</p> + +<p>"Why don't you like Kapchack?" said Bevis, who +understood him in a minute.</p> + +<p>"Hush!" said the toad, and he repeated out loud, +"Kapchack is the great and noble magpie—Kapchack +is the king!" Then he whispered to Bevis to sit +down on the grass very near him, so that he might +speak to him better, and not much louder than a +whisper. When Bevis had sat down and stooped a +little, the toad came close to the mouth of his hole, +and said very quietly: "Bevis dear, Kapchack is a +horrid wretch!"</p> + +<p>"Why," said Bevis, "why do you hate him? and +where does he live? and why is he king? I suppose he +is very beautiful?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, dear, no!" said the toad, hastily, "he is the +ugliest creature that ever hopped. The feathers round +one eye have all come out and left a bare place, and he +is quite blind on the other. Indeed his left eye is +gone altogether. His beak is chipped and worn; his +wings are so beaten and decayed that he can hardly +fly; and there are several feathers out of his tail. He +is the most miserable thing you ever saw."</p> + +<p>"Then why is he king?" asked Bevis.</p> + +<p>"Because he is," said the toad; "and as he is +king, nobody else can be. It is true he is very wise—at +least everybody says so—wiser than the crow or the +rook, or the weasel (though the weasel is so cunning). +And besides, he is so old, so very old, nobody knows +when he was born, and they say that he will always +live, and never die. Why, he put my grandfather in +prison."</p> + +<p>"In prison?" said Bevis. "Where is the prison?"</p> + +<p>"In the elm-tree, at the top of the Home Field," +said the toad. "My grandfather has been shut up +there in a little dungeon so tight, he cannot turn round, +or sit, or stand, or lie down, for so long a time that, +really, Bevis dear, I cannot tell you; but it was before +you were born. And all that time he has had nothing to +eat or drink, and he has never seen the sun or felt the +air, and I do not suppose he has ever heard anything +unless when the thunderbolt fell on the oak close by. +Perhaps he heard the thunder then."</p> + +<p>"Well, then, what has he been doing?" asked +Bevis, "and why doesn't he get out?"</p> + +<p>"He cannot get out, because the tree has grown all +round him quite hard, as Kapchack knew it would +when he ordered him to be put there in the hole. He +has not been doing anything but thinking."</p> + +<p>"I should get tired of thinking all that time," said +Bevis; "but why was he put there?"</p> + +<p>"For reasons of state," said the toad. "He knows +too much. Once upon a time he saw Kapchack do +something, I do not know what it was, and Kapchack +was very angry, and had him put in there in case he +should tell other people. I went and asked him what it +was before the tree quite shut him in, while there was +just a little chink you could talk through; but he +always told me to stop in my hole and mind my own +business, else perhaps I should get punished, as he had +been. But he did tell me that he could not help it, +that he did not mean to see it, only just at the moment +it happened he turned round in his bed, and he opened +his eyes for a second, and you know the consequences, +Bevis dear. So I advise you always to look the other +way, unless you're wanted."</p> + +<p>"It was very cruel of Kapchack," said Bevis.</p> + +<p>"Kapchack is very cruel," said the toad, "and very +greedy, more greedy even than the ants; and he has +such a treasure in his palace as never was heard of. No +one can tell how rich he is. And as for cruelty, why, +he killed his uncle only a week since, just for not +answering him the very instant he spoke; he pecked +him in the forehead and killed him. Then he killed +the poor little wren, whom he chanced to hear say +that the king was not so beautiful as her husband. +Next he pecked a thrush to death, because the thrush +dared to come into his orchard without special permission.</p> + +<p>"But it is no use my trying to tell you all the +shameful things he has done in all these years. There +is never a year goes by without his doing something +dreadful; and he has made everybody miserable at one +time or other by killing their friends or relations, from +the snail to the partridge. He is quite merciless, and +spares no one; why, his own children are afraid of him, +and it is believed that he has pecked several of them to +death, though it is hushed up; but people talk about +it all the same, sometimes. As for the way he has +behaved to the ladies, if I were to tell you you would +never believe it."</p> + +<p>"I hate him," said Bevis. "Why ever do they let +him be king? How they must hate him."</p> + +<p>"Oh, no, they don't, dear," said the toad. "If you +were to hear how they go on, you would think he was +the nicest and kindest person that ever existed. They +sing his praises all day long; that is, in the spring and +summer, while the birds have their voices. You must +have heard them, only you did not understand them. +The finches and the thrushes, and the yellow-hammers +and the wrens, and all the birds, every one of them, +except Choo Hoo, the great rebel, sing Kapchack's +praises all day long, and tell him that they love him +more than they love their eggs, or their wives, or their +nests, and that he is the very best and nicest of all, and +that he never did anything wrong, but is always right +and always just.</p> + +<p>"And they say his eye is brighter than the sun, and +that he can see more with his one eye than all the +other birds put together; and that his feathers are +blacker and whiter and more beautiful than anything +else in the world, and his voice sweeter than the nightingale's. +Now, if you will stoop a little lower I will +whisper to you the reason they do this (Bevis stooped +down close); the truth is they are afraid lest he should +come himself and peck their eggs, or their children, or +their wives, or if not himself that he should send the +hawk, or the weasel, or the stoat, or the rat, or the +crow. Don't you ever listen to the crow, Bevis; he +is a black scoundrel.</p> + +<p>"For Kapchack has got all the crows, and hawks, +and weasels (especially that very cunning one, that old +wretch that cheated you), and rats, to do just as he +tells them. They are his soldiers, and they carry out +his bidding quicker than you can wink your eye, or +than I can shoot out my tongue, which I can do so +quickly that you cannot see it. When the spring is +over and the birds lose their voices (many of them have +already), they each send one or two of their number +every day to visit the orchard where Kapchack lives, and +to say (as they can no longer sing) that they still think +just the same, and they are all his very humble servants. +Kapchack takes no notice of them whatever unless they +happen to do what he does not like, and then they find +out very soon that he has got plenty of spies about.</p> + +<p>"My opinion is that the snail is no better than a +spy and a common informer. Do you just look round +and turn over any leaves that are near, lest any should +be here, and tell tales about me. I can tell you, it is a +very dangerous thing to talk about Kapchack, somebody +or other is sure to hear, and to go and tell him, +so as to get into favour. Now, that is what I hate. +All the rabbits and hares (and your friend the hare +that lives at the top of the Home Field), and the +squirrel and the mouse, all of them have to do just the +same as the birds, and send messages to Kapchack, +praising him and promising to do exactly as he tells +them, all except Choo Hoo."</p> + +<p>"Who is Choo Hoo?" said Bevis.</p> + +<p>"Choo Hoo is the great wood-pigeon," said the +toad. "He is a rebel; but I cannot tell you much +about him, for it is only of late years that we have +heard anything of him, and I do not know much about +the present state of things. Most of the things I can +tell you happened, or began, a long time ago. If you +want to know what is going on now, the best person +you can go to is the squirrel. He is a very good fellow; +he can tell you. I will give you a recommendation to +him, or perhaps he will be afraid to open his mouth too +freely; for, as I said before, it is a very dangerous thing +to talk about Kapchack, and everybody is most terribly +afraid of him—he is so full of malice."</p> + +<p>"Why ever do they let him be king?" said Bevis; +"I would not, if I were them. Why ever do they put +up with him, and his cruelty and greediness? I will +tell the thrush and the starling not to endure him +any longer."</p> + +<p>"Pooh! pooh!" said the toad. "It is all very +well for you to say so, but you must excuse me for +saying, my dear Sir Bevis, that you really know very +little about it. The thrush and the starling would not +understand what you meant. The thrush's father +always did as Kapchack told him, and sang his praises, +as I told you, and so did his grandfather, and his great-grandfather, +and all his friends and relations, these +years and years past. So that now the thrushes have +no idea of there being no Kapchack. They could not +understand you, if you tried to explain to them how +nice it would be without him. If you sat in your +swing and talked to them all day long, for all the +summer through, they would only think you very +stupid even to suppose such a state of things as no +Kapchack. Quite impossible, Bevis dear!—excuse me +correcting you. Why, instead of liking it, they would +say it would be very dreadful to have no Kapchack."</p> + +<p>"Well, they are silly!" said Bevis. "But <i>you</i> do +not like Kapchack!"</p> + +<p>"No, I do not," said the toad; "and if you will +stoop down again——(Bevis stooped still nearer.) +No; perhaps you had better lie down on the grass! +There—now I can talk to you quite freely. The fact +is, do you know, there are other people besides me who +do not like Kapchack. The crow—I can't have anything +to do with such an old rogue!—the crow, I am +certain, hates Kapchack, but he dares not say so. Now +I am so old, and they think me so stupid and deaf that +people say a good deal before me, never imagining that +I take any notice. And when I have been out of +a dewy evening, I have distinctly heard the crow +grumbling about Kapchack. The crow thinks he is +quite as clever as Kapchack, and would make quite as +good a king.</p> + +<p>"Nor is the rat satisfied, nor the weasel, nor the +hawk. I am sure they are not, but they cannot do +anything alone, and they are so suspicious of each +other they cannot agree. So that, though they are +dissatisfied, they can do nothing. I daresay Kapchack +knows it very well indeed. He is so wise—so very, +very wise—that he can see right into what they think, +and he knows that they hate him, and he laughs in his +sleeve. I will tell you what he does. He sets the +hawk on against the rat, and the rat on against the +crow, and the crow against the weasel. He tells +them all sorts of things; so that the weasel thinks the +crow tells tales about him, and the hawk thinks the +rat has turned tail and betrayed his confidence. +The result is, they hate one another as much as they +hate him.</p> + +<p>"And he told the rook—it was very clever of him to +do so, yes, it was very clever of him, I must admit that +Kapchack is extremely clever—that if he was not king +somebody else would be, perhaps the hawk, or the +rat. Now the rook told his friends at the rookery, +and they told everybody else, and when people came to +talk about it, they said it was very true. If Kapchack +was not king, perhaps the hawk would be, and he +would be as bad, or worse; or the rat, and he would +be very much worse; or perhaps the weasel, the very +worst of all.</p> + +<p>"So they agreed that, rather than have these, they +would have Kapchack as the least evil. When the +hawk and the rat heard what the king had said, they +hated each other ten times more than before, lest Kapchack—if +ever he should give up the crown—should +choose one or other of them as his successor, for +that was how they understood the hint. Not that +there is the least chance of his giving up the crown; +not he, my dear, and he will never die, as everybody +knows (here the toad winked slightly), and he will never +grow any older; all he does is to grow wiser, and wiser, +and wiser, and wiser. All the other birds die, but +Kapchack lives for ever. Long live the mighty Kapchack!" +said the toad very loud, that all might hear +how loyal he was, and then went on speaking lower. +"Yet the hawk, and the crow, and the rook, and the +jay, and all of them, though they hate Kapchack in +their hearts, all come round him bowing down, and +they peck the ground where he has just walked, and +kiss the earth he has stood on, in token of their +humility and obedience to him. Each tries to outdo +the rest in servility. They bring all the news to the +palace, and if they find anything very nice in the fields, +they send a message to say where it is, and leave it for +him, so that he eats the very fat of the land."</p> + +<p>"And where is his palace?" asked Bevis. "I should +like to go and see him."</p> + +<p>"His palace is up in an immense old apple-tree, +dear. It is a long way from here, and it is in an +orchard, where nobody is allowed to go. And this is +the strangest part of it all, and I have often wondered +and thought about it months together; once I thought +about it for a whole year, but I cannot make out why +it is that the owner of the orchard, who lives in the +house close by it, is so fond of Kapchack. He will +not let anybody go into the orchard unless with +him. He keeps it locked (there is a high wall around), +and carries the key in his pocket.</p> + +<p>"As the orchard is very big, and Kapchack's nest +is in the middle, no one can see even it from the outside, +nor can any boys fling a stone and hit it; nor, +indeed, could any one shoot at it, because the boughs +are all round it. Thus Kapchack's palace is protected +with a high wall, by the boughs, by its distance from +the outside, by lock and key, and by the owner of the +orchard, who thinks more of him than of all the world +besides. He will not let any other big birds go into +the orchard at all, unless Kapchack seems to like it; +he will bring out his gun and shoot them. He watches +over Kapchack as carefully as if Kapchack were his son. +As for the cats he has shot for getting into the orchard, +there must have been a hundred of them.</p> + +<p>"So that Kapchack every year puts a few more +sticks on his nest, and brings up his family in perfect +safety, which is what no other bird can do, neither the +rook, nor the hawk, nor the crow, nor could even the +raven, when he lived in this country. This is a very +great advantage to Kapchack, for he has thus a fortress +to retreat to, into which no one can enter, and he can +defy everybody; and this is a great help to him as +king. It is also one reason why he lives so long, +though perhaps there is another reason, which I cannot, +really I dare not, even hint at; it is such a dreadful +secret, I should have my head split open with a +peck if I even so much as dared to think it. Besides +which, perhaps it is not true.</p> + +<p>"If it were not so far, and if there was not a wall +round the orchard, I would tell you which way to go +to find the place. His palace is now so big he can +hardly make it any bigger lest it should fall; yet it is +so full of treasures that it can barely hold them all. +There are many who would like to rob him, I know. +The crow is one; but they dare not attempt it, not +only for fear of Kapchack, but because they would +certainly be shot.</p> + +<p>"Everybody talks about the enormous treasure he +has up there, and everybody envies him. But there +are very dark corners in his palace, dark and blood-stained, +for, as I told you, his family history is full of +direful deeds. Besides killing his uncle, and, as is +whispered, several of his children, because he suspected +them of designs upon his throne, he has made away +with a great many of his wives, I should think at least +twenty. So soon as they begin to get old and ugly they +die—people pretend the palace is not healthy to live in, +being so ancient, and that that is the reason. Though +doubtless they are very aggravating, and very jealous. +Did you hear who it was Kapchack was in love with?"</p> + +<p>"No," said Bevis. "The starling flew away before +I could ask him, and as for the rest they are so busy +telling one another they will not answer me."</p> + +<p>"One thing is very certain," said the toad, "if +Kapchack is in love you may be sure there will be some +terrible tragedy in the palace, for his wife will be +jealous, and besides that his eldest son and heir will +not like it. Prince Tchack-tchack is not a very good +temper—Tchack-tchack is his son, I should tell you—and +he is already very tired of waiting for the throne. +But it is no use his being tired, for Kapchack does not +mean to die. Now, Bevis dear, I have told you everything +I can think of, and I am tired of sitting at the +mouth of this hole, where the sunshine comes, and +must go back to sleep.</p> + +<p>"But if you want to know anything about the +present state of things (as I can only tell you what +happened a long time since) you had better go and call +on the squirrel, and say I sent you, and he will inform +you. He is about the best fellow I know; it is true he +will sometimes bite when he is very frisky, it is only +his play, but you can look sharp and put your hands in +your pockets. He is the best of them all, dear; better +than the fox, or the weasel, or the rat, or the stoat, +or the mouse, or any of them. He knows all that is +going on, because the starlings, who are extremely +talkative, come every night to sleep in the copse where +he lives, and have a long gossip before they go to sleep; +indeed, all the birds go to the copse to chat, the rooks, +the wood-pigeons, the pheasant, and the thrush, besides +the rabbits and the hares, so that the squirrel, to whom +the copse belongs, hears everything."</p> + +<p>"But I do not know my way to the copse," said +Bevis; "please tell me the way."</p> + +<p>"You must go up to the great oak-tree, dear," said +the toad, "where you once went to sleep, and then go +across to the wheat-field, and a little farther you will +see a footpath, which will take you to another field, +and you will see the copse on your right. Now the +way into the copse is over a narrow bridge, it is only a +tree put across the ditch, and you must be careful how +you cross it, and hold tight to the hand-rail, and look +where you put your feet. It is apt to be slippery, and +the ditch beneath is very deep; there is not much +water, but a great deal of mud. I recollect it very well, +though I have not been there for some time: I slipped +off the bridge one rainy night in the dark, and had +rather a heavy fall. The bridge is now dry, and therefore +you can pass it easily if you do not leave go of the +hand-rail. Good-morning, dear, I feel so sleepy—come +and tell me with whom Kapchack has fallen in love; +and remember me to the squirrel." So saying the +toad went back into his hole and went to sleep.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI"></a>CHAPTER VI.</h2> + +<h3>THE SQUIRREL.</h3> + + +<p>All this talking had passed away the morning, but in +the afternoon, when the sun got a little lower, and the +heat was not quite so great, Bevis, who had not been +allowed to go out at noon, came forth again, and at +once started up the Home Field. He easily reached +the great oak-tree, and from there he knew his way to +the corner of the wheat-field, where he stopped and +looked for the hare, but she was not there, nor did she +answer when he called to her. At the sound of his +voice a number of sparrows rose from the wheat, +which was now ripening, and flew up to the hedge, +where they began to chatter about Kapchack's love +affair.</p> + +<p>Bevis walked on across the field, and presently +found a footpath; he followed this, as the toad had +instructed him, and after getting over two stiles there +was the copse on the right, though he had to climb +over a high gate to get into the meadow next to it. +There was nothing in the meadow except a rabbit, who +turned up his white tail and went into his hole, for +having seen Bevis with the hare, whom he did not +like, the rabbit did not care to speak to Bevis. When +Bevis had crossed the meadow he found, just as the +toad had said, that there was a very deep ditch round +the copse, but scarcely any water in it, and that was +almost hidden with weeds.</p> + +<p>After walking a little way along the ditch he saw +the tree which had been cut down and thrown across +for a bridge. It was covered with moss, and in the +shadow underneath it the hart's-tongue fern was +growing. Remembering what the toad had told him, +Bevis put his hand on the rail—it was a willow pole—but +found that it was not very safe, for at the end the +wasps (a long time ago) had eaten it hollow, carrying +away the wood for their nests, and what they had left +had become rotten. Still it was enough to steady his +footsteps, and taking care that he did not put his foot +on a knot, Bevis got across safely. There was a rail +to climb over on the other side, and then he was in the +copse, and began to walk down a broad green path, a +road which wound in among the ash-wood.</p> + +<p>Nobody said anything to him, it was quite silent, +so silent, that he could hear the snap of the dragon-fly's +wing as he stopped in his swift flight and returned +again. Bevis pulled a handful of long green rushes, +and then he picked some of the burrs from the tall +burdocks; they stuck to his fingers when he tried to +fling them away, and would not go. The great thistles +were ever so far above his head, and the humble-bees +on them glanced down at him as he passed. Bevis +very carefully looked at the bramble-bushes to see how +the blackberries were coming on; but the berries were +red and green, and the flowers had not yet all gone. +There was such a beautiful piece of woodbine hanging +from one of the ash-poles that he was not satisfied till +he had gathered some of it; the long brome-grass +tickled his face while he was pulling at the honeysuckle.</p> + +<p>He clapped his hands when he found some young +nuts; he knew they were not ripe, but he picked one +and bit it with his teeth, just to feel how soft it was. +There were several very nice sticks, some of which +he had half a mind to stay and cut, and put his hand +in his pocket for his knife, but there were so many +things to look at, he thought he would go on a little +farther, and come back and cut them presently. The +ferns were so tall and thick in many places that he +could not see in among the trees. When he looked +back he had left the place where he came in so far +behind that he could not see it, nor when he looked +round could he see any daylight through the wood; +there was only the sky overhead and the trees and ash-stoles, +and bushes, and thistles, and long grass, and +fern all about him.</p> + +<p>Bevis liked it very much, and he ran on and kicked +over a bunch of tawny fungus as he went, till by-and-by +he came to a piece of timber lying on the ground, +and sat down upon it. Some finches went over just +then; they were talking about Kapchack as they flew; +they went so fast he could not hear much. But the +squirrel was nowhere about; he called to him, but no +one answered, and he began to think he should never +find him, when presently, while he sat on the timber +whistling very happily, something came round the +corner, and Bevis saw it was the hare.</p> + +<p>She ran up to him quickly, and sat down at his feet, +and he stroked her very softly. "I called for you at +the wheat-field," he said, "but you were not there."</p> + +<p>"No, dear," said the hare, "the truth is, I have +been waiting for ever so long to come into the copse on +a visit to an old friend, but you must know that the +weasel lives here."</p> + +<p>"Does the weasel live here?" said Bevis, starting +up. "Tell me where, and I will kill him; I will cut +off his head with my knife."</p> + +<p>"I cannot tell you exactly where he lives," said +the hare, "but it is somewhere in the copse. It is of +no use your looking about; it is in some hole or other, +quite hidden, and you would never find it. I am afraid +to come into the copse while he is here; but this +afternoon the dragon-fly brought me word that the +weasel had gone out. So I made haste to come while +he was away, as I had not seen my old friend the +squirrel for ever so long, and I wanted to know if the +news was true."</p> + +<p>"Do you mean about Kapchack?" said Bevis. "I +came to see the squirrel too, but I cannot find him."</p> + +<p>"Yes, I mean about Kapchack," said the hare. +"Is it not silly of him to fall in love at his age? Why, +he must be ten times as old as me! Really, I some +times think that the older people get the sillier they +are. But it is not much use your looking for the +squirrel, dear. He may be up in the fir-tree, or he +may be in the beech, or he may have gone along the +hedge. If you were by yourself, the best thing you +could do would be to sit still where you are, and he +would be nearly sure to come by, sooner or later. He +is so restless, he goes all over the copse, and is never +very long in one place. Since, however, you and I +have met, I will find him for you, and send him to you."</p> + +<p>"How long shall you be?" said Bevis. "I am +tired of sitting here now, and I shall go on along the +path."</p> + +<p>"Oh, then," said the hare, "I shall not know +where to find you, and that will not do. Now, I know +what I will do. I will take you to the raspberries, and +there you can eat the fruit till I send the squirrel."</p> + +<p>The hare leapt into the fern, and Bevis went after +her. She led him in and out, and round the ash-stoles +and bushes, till he had not the least idea which way +he was going. After a time, they came to an immense +thicket of bramble and thorn, and fern growing up in +it, and honeysuckle climbing over it.</p> + +<p>"It is inside this thicket," said the hare. "Let +us go all round, and see if we can find a way in."</p> + +<p>There was a place under an ash-stole, where Bevis +could just creep beneath the boughs (the boughs held +up the brambles), and after going on his hands and +knees after the hare a good way, he found himself +inside the thicket, where there was an open space +grown over with raspberry canes. Bevis shouted +with delight as he saw the raspberries were ripe, +and began to eat them at once.</p> + +<p>"How ever did they get here?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"I think it was the thrush," said the hare. "It +was one of the birds, no doubt. They take the fruit +out of the orchards and gardens, and that was how it +came here, I daresay. Now, don't you go outside the +thicket till the squirrel comes. And when you have +quite done talking to the squirrel, ask him to show +you the way back to the timber, and there I will meet +you, and lead you to the wheat-field, where you can +see the oak-tree, and know your way home. Mind +you do not go outside the thicket without the squirrel, +or you will lose your way, and wander about among +the trees till it is night."</p> + +<p>Off went the hare to find the squirrel, and Bevis set +to work to eat as many of the raspberries as he could.</p> + +<p>Among the raspberry canes he found three or four +rabbit-holes, and hearing the rabbits talking to each +other, he stooped down to listen. They were talking +scandal about the hare, and saying that she was very +naughty, and rambled about too much. At this Bevis +was very angry, and stamped his foot above the hole, +and told them they ought to be ashamed of themselves +for saying such things. The rabbits, very much frightened, +went down farther into their holes. After which +Bevis ate a great many more raspberries, and presently, +feeling very lazy, he lay down on some moss at the foot +of an oak-tree, and kicked his heels on the ground, and +looked up at the blue sky, as he always did when he +wanted some one to speak to. He did not know how +long he had been gazing at the sky, when he heard +some one say: "Bevis dear!" and turning that way he +saw the squirrel, who had come up very quietly, and +was sitting on one of the lower branches of the oak +close to him.</p> + +<p>"Well, squirrel," said Bevis, sitting up; "the toad +said I was to remember him to you. And now be very +quick, and tell me all you know about Kapchack, and +who it is he is in love with, and all about the rebel, +Choo Hoo, and everything else, in a minute."</p> + +<p>"Well, you are in a hurry," said the squirrel, +laughing; "and so am I, generally; but this afternoon +I have nothing to do, and I am very glad you have +come, dear. Now, first——"</p> + +<p>"First," said Bevis, interrupting, "why did the +starling say it was a great secret, when everybody +knew it?"</p> + +<p>"It was a great secret," said the squirrel, "till +Prince Tchack-tchack came down here (he is the heir, +you know) in a dreadful fit of temper, and told the +tomtit whom he met in the fir-tree, and the tomtit told +the woodpecker, and the woodpecker told the starling, +who told his lady-love on the chimney, and the fly heard +him, and when you opened the window the fly went out +and buzzed it to everybody while you were at breakfast. +By this time it is all over the world; and I daresay +even the sea-gulls, though they live such a long way off, +have heard it. Kapchack is beside himself with rage +that it should be known, and Tchack-tchack is afraid +to go near him. He made a great peck at Tchack-tchack +just now."</p> + +<p>"But why should there be so much trouble about +it?" said Bevis.</p> + +<p>"Oh," said the squirrel, "it is a very serious business, +let me tell you. It is not an ordinary falling in +love, it is nothing less than a complete revolution of +everything, and it will upset all the rules and laws that +have been handed down ever since the world began."</p> + +<p>"Dear me!" said Bevis. "And who is it Kapchack +is in love with? I have asked twenty people, but no +one will tell me."</p> + +<p>"Why, I am telling you," said the squirrel. +"Don't you see, if it had been an ordinary affair—only +a young magpie—it would not have mattered +much, though I daresay the queen would have been +jealous, but this——"</p> + +<p>"Who is it?" said Bevis, in a rage. "Why don't +you tell me who it is?"</p> + +<p>"I am telling you," said the squirrel, sharply.</p> + +<p>"No, you're not. You're telling me a lot of things, +but not what I want to know."</p> + +<p>"Oh, well," said the squirrel, tossing his head and +swishing his tail, "of course, if you know more about +it than I do it is no use my staying." So off he went +in a pet.</p> + +<p>Up jumped Bevis. "You're a stupid donkey," he +shouted, and ran across to the other side, and threw a +piece of stick up into an elm-tree after the squirrel. +But the squirrel was so quick he could not see which +way he had gone, and in half-a-minute he heard the +squirrel say very softly: "Bevis dear," behind him, +and looked back, and there he was sitting on the oak +bough again.</p> + +<p>The squirrel, as the toad had said, was really a +very good fellow; he was very quick to take offence, +but his temper only lasted a minute. "Bevis dear," +he said, "come back and sit down again on the moss, +and I will tell you."</p> + +<p>"I sha'n't come back," said Bevis, rather sulkily. +"I shall sit here."</p> + +<p>"No, no; don't stop there," said the squirrel, very +anxiously. "Don't stop there, dear; can't you see +that great bough above you; that elm-tree is very +wicked, and full of malice, do not stop there, he may +hurt you."</p> + +<p>"Pooh! what rubbish!" said Bevis; "I don't +believe you. It is a very nice elm, I am sure. Besides, +how can he hurt me? He has got no legs and +he can't run after me, and he has no hands and he +can't catch me. I'm not a bit afraid of him;" and +he kicked the elm with all his might. Without waiting +a second, the squirrel jumped down out of the oak +and ran across and caught hold of Bevis by his +stocking—he could not catch hold of his jacket—and +tried to drag him away. Seeing the squirrel in such +an excited state, Bevis went with him to please him, +and sat down on the moss under the oak. The +squirrel went up on the bough, and Bevis laughed at +him for being so silly.</p> + +<p>"Ah, but my dear Sir Bevis," said the squirrel, +"you do not know all, or you would not say what you +did. You think because the elm has no legs and +cannot run after you, and because he has no hands +and cannot catch you, that therefore he cannot do you +any harm. You are very much mistaken; that is a +very malicious elm, and of a very wicked disposition. +Elms, indeed, are very treacherous, and I recommend +you to have nothing to do with them, dear."</p> + +<p>"But how could he hurt me?" said Bevis.</p> + +<p>"He can wait till you go under him," said the +squirrel, "and then drop that big bough on you. He +has had that bough waiting to drop on somebody for +quite ten years. Just look up and see how thick it is, +and heavy; why, it would smash a man out flat. Now, +the reason the elms are so dangerous is because they +will wait so long till somebody passes. Trees can do a +great deal, I can tell you; why, I have known a tree, +when it could not drop a bough, fall down altogether +when there was not a breath of wind, nor any lightning, +just to kill a cow or a sheep, out of sheer bad +temper."</p> + +<p>"But oaks do not fall, do they?" asked Bevis, +looking up in some alarm at the oak above him.</p> + +<p>"Oh, no," said the squirrel; "the oak is a very +good tree, and so is the beech and the ash, and many +more (though I am not quite certain of the horse-chestnut, +I have heard of his playing tricks), but the elm is +not; if he can he will do something spiteful. I never go +up an elm if I can help it, not unless I am frightened +by a dog or somebody coming along. The only fall I +ever had was out of an elm.</p> + +<p>"I ran up one in a hurry, away from that wretch, +the weasel (you know him), and put my foot on a +dried branch, and the elm, like a treacherous thing as +he is, let it go, and down I went crash, and should +have hurt myself very much if my old friend the ivy +had not put out a piece for me to catch hold of, and so +just saved me. As for you, dear, don't you ever sit +under an elm, for you are very likely to take cold there, +there is always a draught under an elm on the warmest +day.</p> + +<p>"If it should come on to rain while you are out for +a walk, be sure and not go under an elm for shelter if +the wind is blowing, for the elm, if he possibly can, +will take advantage of the storm to smash you.</p> + +<p>"And elms are so patient, they will wait sixty or +seventy years to do somebody an injury; if they cannot +get a branch ready to fall they will let the rain in at +a knot-hole, and so make it rotten inside, though it +looks green without, or ask some fungus to come up +and grow there, and so get the bough ready for them. +That elm across there is quite rotten inside—there is +a hole inside so big you could stand up, and yet if anybody +went by they would say what a splendid tree.</p> + +<p>"But if you asked Kauhaha, the rook, he would +shake his head, and decline to have anything to do +with that tree. So, my dear Sir Bevis, do not you +think any more that because a thing has no legs, nor +arms, nor eyes, nor ears, that therefore it cannot hurt +you. There is the earth, for instance; you may stamp +on the earth with your feet and she will not say anything, +she will put up with anything, but she is always +lying in wait all the same, and if you could only find +all the money she has buried you would be the richest +man in the world; I could tell you something about +that. The flints even——"</p> + +<p>"Now I do not believe what you are going to say," +said Bevis, "I am sure the flints cannot do anything, +for I have picked up hundreds of them and flung them +splash into the brook."</p> + +<p>"But I assure you they can," said the squirrel. "I +will tell you a story about a flint that happened only +a short time since, and then you will believe. Once +upon a time a waggon was sent up on the hills to fetch +a load of flints; it was a very old waggon, and it wanted +mending, for it belonged to a man who never would +mend anything."</p> + +<p>"Who was that?" said Bevis. "What a curious +man."</p> + +<p>"It was the same old gentleman (he is a farmer, +only he is like your papa, Sir Bevis, and his land is his +own), the same old gentleman who is so fond of Kapchack, +whose palace is in his orchard. Well, the +waggon went up on the hills, where the men had dug +up some flints which had been lying quite motionless +in the ground for so many thousand years that nobody +could count them. There were at least five thousand +flints, and the waggon went jolting down the hill and +on to the road, and as it went the flints tried to get out, +but they could not manage it, none but one flint, which +was smaller than the rest.</p> + +<p>"This one flint, of all the five thousand, squeezed +out of a hole in the bottom of the waggon, and fell on +the dust in the road, and was left there. There was +not much traffic on the road (it is the same, dear, that +goes to Southampton, where the ships are), so that it +remained where it fell. Only one waggon came by +with a load of hay, and had the wheel gone over the +flint of course it would have been crushed to pieces. +But the waggoner, instead of walking by his horses, +was on the grass at the side of the road talking to a +labourer in the field, and his team did not pass on their +right side of the road, but more in the middle, and so +the flint was not crushed.</p> + +<p>"In the evening, when it was dark, a very old and +very wealthy gentleman came along in his dog-cart, +and his horse, which was a valuable one, chanced to +slip on the flint, which, being sharp and jagged, hurt +its hoof, and down the horse fell. The elderly gentleman +and his groom, who was driving, were thrown out; +the groom was not hurt, but his master broke his arm, +and the horse broke his knees. The gentleman was so +angry that no sooner did he get home than he dismissed +the groom, though it was no fault of his, for +how could he see the flint in the night? Nor would he +give the man a character, and the consequence was he +could not find another place. He soon began to starve, +and then he was obliged to steal, and after a while he +became a burglar.</p> + +<p>"One night he entered a house in London, and was +getting on well, and stealing gold watches and such +things, when somebody opened the door and tried to +seize him. Pulling out his pistol, he shot his assailant +dead on the spot, and at once escaped, and has not +since been heard of, though you may be sure if he is +caught he will be hung, and they are looking very +sharp after him, because he stole a box with some +papers in it which are said to be of great value. And +the person he shot was the same gentleman who had +discharged him because the horse fell down. Now all +this happened through the flint, and as I told you, +Bevis dear, about the elm, the danger with such things +is that they will wait so long to do mischief.</p> + +<p>"This flint, you see, waited so many years that +nobody could count them, till the waggon came to +fetch it. They are never tired of waiting. Be very +careful, Bevis dear, how you climb up a tree, or how +you put your head out of window, for there is a thing +that is always lying in wait, and will pull you down in +a minute, if you do not take care. It has been waiting +there to make something fall ever since the beginning +of the world, long before your house was built, dear, or +before any of the trees grew. You cannot see it, but it +is there, as you may prove by putting your cap out of +window, which in a second will begin to fall down, as +you would if you were tilted out.</p> + +<p>"And I daresay you have seen people swimming, +which is a very pleasant thing, I hear from the wild +ducks; but all the time the water is lying in wait, and +if they stop swimming a minute they will be drowned, +and although a man very soon gets tired of swimming, +the water never gets tired of waiting, but is always +ready to drown him.</p> + +<p>"Also, it is the same with your candle, Bevis dear, +and this the bat told me, for he once saw it happen, +looking in at a window as he flew by, and he shrieked +as loud as he could, but his voice is so very shrill that +it is not everybody can hear him, and all his efforts +were in vain. For a lady had gone to sleep in bed and +left her candle burning on the dressing-table, just +where she had left it fifty times before, and found it +burnt down to the socket in the morning, and no harm +done. But that night she had had a new pair of gloves, +which were wrapped up in a piece of paper, and she +undid these gloves and left the piece of paper underneath +the candlestick, and yet it would not have hurt +had the candle been put up properly, but instead of +that a match had been stuck in at the side, like a +wedge, to keep it up. When the flame came down to +the match the match caught fire, and when it had +burnt a little way down, that piece fell off, and dropped +on the paper in which the gloves had been wrapped. +The paper being very thin was alight in an instant, and +from the paper the flame travelled to some gauze +things hung on the looking-glass, and from that to the +window curtains, and from the window curtains to the +bed curtains, till the room was in a blaze, and though +the bat shrieked his loudest the lady did not wake till +she was very much burnt.</p> + +<p>"Also with the sea; for the cod-fish told the seagull, +who told the heron, who related the fact to the +kingfisher, who informed me. The cod-fish was swimming +about in the sea and saw a ship at anchor, and +coming by the chain-cable the fish saw that one of the +links of the chain was nearly eaten through with rust; +but as the wind was calm it did not matter. Next +time the ship came there to anchor the cod-fish looked +again; and the rust had gone still further into the link. +A third time the ship came back to anchor there, and +the sailors went to sleep thinking it was all right, but +the cod-fish swam by and saw that the link only just +held. In the night there came a storm, and the sailors +woke up to find the vessel drifting on the rocks, where +she was broken to pieces, and hardly any of them escaped.</p> + +<p>"Also, with living things, Bevis dear; for there +was once a little creeping thing (the sun-beetle told me +he heard it from his grandfather) which bored a hole +into a beam under the floor of a room—the hole was so +tiny you could scarcely see it, and the beam was so big +twenty men could not lift it. After the creeping thing +had bored this little hole it died, but it left ten +children, and they bored ten more little holes, and +when they died they left ten each, and they bored a +hundred holes, and left a thousand, and they bored a +thousand holes, and they left a thousand tens, who +bored ten thousand holes, and left ten thousand tens, +and they bored one hundred thousand holes, and left +one hundred thousand tens, and they bored a million +holes; and when a great number of people met in the +room to hear a man speak, down the beam fell crash, +and they were all dreadfully injured.</p> + +<p>"Now, therefore, Bevis, my dear little Sir Bevis, +do you take great care and never think any more that +a thing cannot hurt you, because it has not got any +legs, and cannot run after you, or because it has no +hands, and cannot catch you, or because it is very tiny, +and you cannot see it, but could kill a thousand with +the heel of your boot. For as I told you about the +malice-minded elm, all these things are so terribly +dangerous, because they can wait so long, and because +they never forget.</p> + +<p>"Therefore, if you climb up a tree, be sure and remember +to hold tight, and not forget, for the earth +will not forget, but will pull you down to it thump, +and hurt you very much. And remember if you walk +by the water that it is water, and do not forget, for +the water will not forget, and if you should fall in, will +let you sink and drown you. And if you take a candle +be careful what you are doing, and do not forget that +fire will burn, for the fire will not forget, but will +always be on the look-out and ready, and will burn you +without mercy. And be sure to see that no little +unseen creeping thing is at work, for they are everywhere +boring holes into the beam of life till it cracks +unexpectedly; but you must stay till you are older, +and have eaten the peck of salt your papa tells +you about, before you can understand all that. +Now——"</p> + +<p>"But," said Bevis, who had been listening to the +story very carefully, "you have not told me about the +wind. You have told me about the earth, and the +water, and the fire, but you have not said anything +about the wind."</p> + +<p>"No more I have," said the squirrel. "You see I +forget, though the earth does not, neither does the +water, nor the fire. Well, the wind is the nicest of +all of them, and you need never be afraid of the wind, +for he blows so sweetly, and brings the odour of flowers, +and fills you with life, and joy, and happiness. And +oh, Bevis dear, you should listen to the delicious songs +he sings, and the stories he tells as he goes through +the fir-tree and the oak. Of course if you are on the +ground, so far below, you can only hear a sound of +whispering, unless your ears are very sharp; but if you +were up in the boughs with me, you would be enchanted +with the beauty of his voice.</p> + +<p>"No, dear, never be afraid of the wind, but put your +doors open and let him come in, and throw your window +open and let him wander round the room, and take +your cap off sometimes, and let him stroke your hair. +The wind is a darling—I love the wind, and so do you, +dear, for I have seen you racing about when the wind +was rough, chasing the leaves and shouting with +delight. Now with the wind it is just the reverse to +what it is with all the others. If you fall on the earth +it thumps you; into the water, it drowns you; into the +fire, it burns you; but you cannot do without wind.</p> + +<p>"Always remember that you must have wind, dear, +and do not get into a drawer, as I have heard of boys +doing, from the mouse, who goes about a good deal +indoors, and being suffocated for want of wind; or into +a box, or a hole, or anywhere where there is no wind. +It is true he sometimes comes along with a most +tremendous push, and the trees go cracking over. +That is only because they are malice-minded, and are +rotten at the heart; and the boughs break off, that is +only because they have invited the fungus to grow on +them; and the thatch on your papa's ricks is lifted up +at the corner just as if the wind had chucked them +under the chin.</p> + +<p>"But that is nothing. Everybody loses his temper +now and then, and why not the wind? You should +see the nuts he knocks down for me where I could not +very well reach them, and the showers of acorns, and +the apples! I take an apple out of your orchard, dear, +sometimes, but I do not mean any harm—it is only one +or two. I love the wind! But do not go near an elm, +dear, when the wind blows, for the elm, as I told you, +is a malicious tree, and will seize any pretence, or a +mere puff, to do mischief."</p> + +<p>"I love the wind too!" said Bevis. "He sings +to me down the chimney, and hums to me through the +door, and whistles up in the attic, and shouts at me from +the trees. Oh, yes, I will do as you say; I will always +have plenty of the wind. You are a very nice squirrel. +I like you very much; and you have a lovely silky tail. +But you have not told me yet who it is Kapchack is in +love with."</p> + +<p>"I have been telling you all the time," said the +squirrel; "but you are in such a hurry; and, as I was +saying, if it was only a young magpie, now—only an +ordinary affair—very likely the queen would be jealous, +indeed, and there would be a fight in the palace, which +would be nothing at all new, but this is much more +serious, a very serious matter, and none can tell how it +will end. As Kauc, the crow, was saying to Cloctaw, +the jackdaw, this morning——"</p> + +<p>"But who is it?" asked Bevis, jumping up again +in a rage.</p> + +<p>"Why, everybody knows who it is," said the +squirrel; "from the ladybird to the heron; from the +horse to the mouse; and everybody is talking of it, +and as since the raven went away, there is no judge to +settle any dispute——"</p> + +<p>"I hate you!" said Bevis, "you do talk so much; +but you do not tell me what I want to know. You are +a regular donkey, and I will pull your tail."</p> + +<p>He snatched at the squirrel's tail, but the squirrel +was too quick; he jumped up the boughs and showed +his white teeth, and ran away in a temper.</p> + +<p>Bevis looked all round, but could not see him, and +as he was looking a dragon-fly came and said that the +squirrel had sent him to say that he was very much +hurt, and thought Bevis was extremely rude to him, +but he had told the dragon-fly to show him the way to +the piece of timber, and if he would come back to-morrow, +and not be so rude, he should hear all about it. +So the dragon-fly led Bevis to the piece of timber, +where the hare was waiting, and the hare led him to +the wheat-field, and showed him the top of the great +oak-tree, and from there he easily found his way home +to tea.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII"></a>CHAPTER VII.</h2> + +<h3>THE COURTIERS.</h3> + + +<p>The next morning passed quickly, Bevis having so +much to do. Hur-hur, the pig, asked him to dig up +some earth-nuts for him with his knife, for the ground +was hard from the heat of the sun, and he could not +thrust his snout in. Then Pan, the spaniel, had to be +whipped very severely because he would not climb a +tree; and so the morning was taken up. After the +noontide heat had decreased, Bevis again started, and +found his way by the aid of the oak to the corner of +the wheat-field. The dragon-fly was waiting for him +with a message from the hare, saying that she had +been invited to a party on the hills, so the dragon-fly +would guide him into the copse.</p> + +<p>Flying before him, the dragon-fly led the way, often +going a long distance ahead, and coming back in a +minute, for he moved so rapidly it was not possible for +Bevis to keep pace with him, and he was too restless to +stand still. Bevis walked carefully over the bridge, +holding to the rail, as the toad had told him; and +passing the thistles, and the grass, and the ferns, +came to the piece of timber. There he sat down to +rest, while the dragon-fly played to and fro, now rising +to the top of the trees, and now darting down again, to +show off his dexterity. While he was sitting there a +crow came along and looked at him hard, but said +nothing; and immediately afterwards a jackdaw went +over, remarking what a lovely day it was.</p> + +<p>"Now take me to the raspberries," said Bevis; +and the dragon-fly, winding in and out the trees, +brought him to the thicket, showed him the place to +creep in, and left, promising to return by-and-by and +fetch him when it was time to go home. Bevis, warm +with walking in the sunshine, after he had crept in to +the raspberries, went across and sat down on the moss +under the oak; and he had hardly leant his back against +the tree than the squirrel came along the ground and +sat beside him.</p> + +<p>"You are just in time, my dear," he said, speaking +low and rapidly, and glancing round to see that no one +was near; "for there is going to be a secret council of +the courtiers this afternoon, while Kapchack takes his +nap; and in order that none of the little birds may +play the spy and carry information to the police, Kauc, +the crow, has been flying round and driving them away, +so that there is not so much as a robin left in the +copse. This is an employment that suits him very +well, for he loves to play the tyrant. Perhaps you saw +him coming in. And this council is about Kapchack's +love affair, and to decide what is to be done, and +whether it can be put up with, or whether they must +refuse to receive her."</p> + +<p>"And who is she?" said Bevis; "you keep on +talking, but you do not tell me." The squirrel pricked +up his ears and looked cross, but he heard the people +coming to the council, and knew there was no time to +be lost in quarrelling, so he did not go off in a pet this +time. "The lady is the youngest jay, dear, in the +wood; La Schach is her name; she is sweetly pretty, +and dresses charmingly in blue and brown. She is +sweetly pretty, though they say rather a flirt, and flighty +in her ways. She has captivated a great many with her +bright colour, and now this toothless old Kapchack—but +hush! It is a terrible scandal. I hear them +coming; slip this way, Bevis dear."</p> + +<p>Bevis went after him under the brambles and the +ferns till he found a place in a hollow ash-stole, where +it was hung all round with honeysuckle, and then, +doing as the squirrel told him, he sat down, and was +quite concealed from sight; while the squirrel stopped +on a bough just over his head, where he could whisper +and explain things. Though Bevis was himself hidden, +he could see very well; and he had not been there a +minute before he heard a rustling, and saw the fox +come stealthily out from the fern, and sit under an +ancient hollow pollard close by.</p> + +<p>The stoat came close behind him; he was something +like the weasel, and they say a near relation; he is +much bolder than the weasel, but not one quarter so +cunning. He is very jealous, too, of the power the +weasel has got on account of his cunning, and if he +could he would strangle his kinsman. The rat could +not attend, having very important business at the brook +that day, but he had sent the mouse to listen and tell +him all that was said. The fox looked at the mouse +askance from the corner of his eye; and the stoat could +not refrain from licking his lips, though it was well +understood that at these assemblies all private feelings +were to be rigidly suppressed. So that the mouse was +quite safe; still, seeing the fox's glance, and the stoat's +teeth glistening, he kept very near a little hole under a +stole, where he could rush in if alarmed.</p> + +<p>"I understood Prince Tchack-tchack was coming," +said the fox, "but I don't see him."</p> + +<p>"I heard the same thing," said the stoat. "He's +very much upset about this business."</p> + +<p>"Ah," said the fox, "perhaps he had an eye himself +to this beautiful young creature. Depend upon it +there's more under the surface than we have heard of +yet." Just then a message came from the weasel +regretting very much that he could not be present, +owing to indisposition, but saying that he quite agreed +with all that was going to be said, and that he would +act as the others decided, and follow them in all things. +This message was delivered by a humble-bee, who +having repeated all the weasel had told him to, went +buzzing on among the thistles.</p> + +<p>"I do not quite like this," said a deep hollow voice; +and looking up, Bevis saw the face of the owl at the +mouth of a hole in the pollard-tree. He was winking +in the light, and could not persuade himself to come +out, which was the reason the council was held at the +foot of his house, as it was necessary he should take +part in it. "I do not quite like this," said the owl, +very solemnly, "Is the weasel sincere in all he says? +Is he really unwell, or does he keep away in order that +if Kapchack hears of this meeting he may say: 'I was +not there. I did not take any part in it'?"</p> + +<p>"That is very likely," said the stoat. "He is capable +of anything—I say it with sorrow, as he is so near a +relation, but the fact is, gentlemen, the weasel is not +what he ought to be, and has, I am afraid, much disgraced +our family."</p> + +<p>"Let us send for the weasel," said the hawk, who +just then came and alighted on the tree above the owl. +"Perhaps the squirrel, who knows the copse so well, +will go and fetch him."</p> + +<p>"I really do not know where he lives," said the +squirrel. "I have not seen him lately, and I am afraid +he is keeping his bed." Then the squirrel whispered +down to Bevis: "That is not all true, but you see I am +obliged not to know too much, else I should offend +somebody and do myself no good".</p> + +<p>"Well, then," said the rook, who had just arrived, +"send the mouse; he looks as if he wanted something +to do."</p> + +<p>"I cannot agree to that," said the owl; "the mouse +is very clever, and his opinion worthy of attention; we +cannot spare him." The truth was, the owl, squinting +down, had seen what a plump mouse it was, and he +reflected that if the weasel saw him he would never +rest till he had tasted him, whereas he thought he +should like to meet the mouse by moonlight shortly. +"Upon the whole, I really don't know that we need +send for the weasel," he went on, thinking that if the +weasel came he would fasten his affections upon the +mouse.</p> + +<p>"But I do," said the stoat.</p> + +<p>"And so do I," said the fox.</p> + +<p>"And I," said Kauc, the crow, settling down on a +branch of the pollard.</p> + +<p>"For my part," said Cloctaw, the old jackdaw, +taking his seat on a branch of horse-chestnut, "I think +it is very disrespectful of the weasel."</p> + +<p>"True," said the wood-pigeon. "True-whoo," as +he settled on the ash.</p> + +<p>"Quite true-oo," repeated the dove, perching in +the hawthorn.</p> + +<p>"Send for the weasel, then," said a missel-thrush, +also perching in the hawthorn. "Why all this delay? +I am for action. Send for the weasel immediately."</p> + +<p>"Really, gentlemen," said the mouse, not at all +liking the prospect of a private interview with the +weasel, "you must remember that I have had a long +journey here, and I am not quite sure where the +weasel lives at present."</p> + +<p>"The council is not complete without the weasel," +screamed a jay, coming up; he was in a terrible +temper, for the lady jay whom Kapchack was in love +with had promised him her hand, till the opportunity +of so much grandeur turned her head, and she jilted +him like a true daughter of the family, as she was. +For the jays are famous for jilting their lovers. "If +the mouse is afraid," said the jay, "I'll fetch the +humble-bee back, and if he won't come I'll speak a +word to my friend the shrike, and have him spitted on +a thorn in a minute." Off he flew, and the humble-bee, +dreadfully frightened, came buzzing back directly.</p> + +<p>"It falls upon you, as the oldest of the party, to +give him his commands," said Tchink, the chaffinch, +addressing the owl. The owl looked at the crow, +and the crow scowled at the chaffinch, who turned +his back on him, being very saucy. He had watched +his opportunity while the crow went round the copse +to drive away the small birds, and slipped in to appear +at the council. He was determined to assert his +presence, and take as much part as the others in +these important events. If the goldfinches, and the +thrushes, and blackbirds, and robins, and greenfinches, +and sparrows, and so on, were so meek as to submit to +be excluded, and were content to have no voice in the +matter till they were called upon to obey orders, that +was their affair. They were a bevy of poor-spirited, +mean things. He was not going to be put down like +that. Tchink was, indeed, a very impudent fellow: +Bevis liked him directly, and determined to have a +chat with him by-and-by.</p> + +<p>"If I am the oldest of the party, it is scarcely +competent for you to say so," said the owl with great +dignity, opening his eyes to their full extent, and +glaring at Tchink.</p> + +<p>"All right, old Spectacles," said Tchink; "you're +not a bad sort of fellow by daylight, though I have +heard tales of your not behaving quite so properly at +night." Then catching sight of Bevis (for Tchink +was very quick) he flew over and settled near the +squirrel, intending, if any violence was offered to him, +to ask Bevis for protection.</p> + +<p>The owl, seeing the fox tittering, and the crow +secretly pleased at this remark, thought it best to take +no notice, but ordered the humble-bee, in the name of +the council, to at once proceed to the weasel, and +inform him that the council was unable to accept his +excuses, but was waiting his arrival.</p> + +<p>"Is Tchack-tchack coming?" asked the mouse, +recovering his spirits now.</p> + +<p>"I too-whoo should like to know if Tchack-tchack +is coming," said the wood-pigeon.</p> + +<p>"And I so, too-oo," added the dove. "It seems to +me a most important matter."</p> + +<p>"In my opinion," said Cloctaw, speaking rather +huskily, for he was very old, "Tchack-tchack will not +come. I know him well—I can see through him—he +is a double-faced rascal like—like (he was going to say +the fox, but recollected himself in time) his—well, +never matter; like all his race then. My opinion is, +he started the rumour that he was coming just to get +us together, and encourage us to conspire against his +father, in the belief that the heir was with us and +approved of our proceedings. But he never really +meant to come."</p> + +<p>"The jackdaw is very old," said the crow, with a +sneer. "He is not what he used to be, gentlemen, +you must make allowance for his infirmities."</p> + +<p>"It seems to me," said the missel-thrush, interrupting, +"that we are wasting a great deal of time. I +propose that we at once begin the discussion, and then +if the weasel and Tchack-tchack come they can join +in. I regret to say that my kinsman, the missel-thrush +who frequents the orchard (by special permission +of Kapchack, as you know), is not here. The +pampered fawning wretch!—I hate such favourites—they +disgrace a court. Why, all the rest of our family +are driven forth like rogues, and are not permitted to +come near! If the tyrant kills his children in his +wanton freaks even then this minion remains loyal: +despicable being! But now without further delay let +us ask the owl to state the case plainly, so that we can +all understand what we are talking about."</p> + +<p>"Hear, hear," said Tchink.</p> + +<p>"I agree too," said the wood-pigeon.</p> + +<p>"I too," said the dove.</p> + +<p>"It is no use waiting for Tchack-tchack," said +the hawk.</p> + +<p>"Hum! haw! caw!" said the rook, "I do not +know about that."</p> + +<p>"Let us go on to business," said the stoat, "the +weasel knows no more than we do. His reputation is +much greater than he deserves."</p> + +<p>"I have heard the same thing," said the fox. +"Indeed I think so myself."</p> + +<p>"I am sure the owl will put the case quite fairly," +said the mouse, much pleased that the owl had saved +him from carrying the message to the weasel.</p> + +<p>"<i>We</i> are all waiting, Owl," said Tchink.</p> + +<p>"<i>We</i>, indeed," said the hawk, very sharply.</p> + +<p>"Hush! hush!" said the squirrel. "This is a +privileged place, gentlemen; no personal remarks, if +you please."</p> + +<p>"I think, think, the owl is very stupid not to +begin," said the chaffinch.</p> + +<p>"If you please," said the fox, bowing most politely +to the owl, "we are listening."</p> + +<p>"Well then, gentlemen, since you all wish it," +said the owl, ruffling out his frills and swelling up his +feathers, "since you all wish it, I will endeavour to +put the case as plainly as possible, and in as few words +as I can. You must understand, gentlemen, indeed +you all understand already, that from time immemorial, +ever since the oak bore acorns, and the bramble blackberries, +it has been the established custom for each +particular bird and each particular animal to fall in +love with, and to marry some other bird or animal of +the same kind.</p> + +<p>"To explain more fully, so that there cannot by +any possibility be the least chance of any one mistaking +my meaning, I should illustrate the position in this +way, that it has always been the invariable custom for +owls to marry owls; for crows to marry crows; for +rooks to fall in love with rooks; for wood-pigeons to +woo wood-pigeons; doves to love doves; missel-thrushes +to court lady missel-thrushes; jackdaws, jackdaws; +hawks, hawks; rats, rats; foxes, foxes; stoats, stoats; +weasels, weasels; squirrels, squirrels; for jays to marry +jays ('Just so,' screamed the jay); and magpies to +marry magpies."</p> + +<p>"And chaffinches to kiss chaffinches," added Tchink, +determined not to be left out.</p> + +<p>"This custom," continued the owl, "has now +existed so long, that upon looking into the archives of +my house, and turning over the dusty records, not +without inconvenience to myself, I can't discover one +single instance of a departure from it since history began. +There is no record, gentlemen, of any such event having +taken place. I may say, without fear of contradiction, +that no precedent exists. We may, therefore, regard +it as a fixed principle of common law, from which no +departure can be legal, without the special and express +sanction of all the nation, or of its representatives +assembled. We may even go further, and hazard the +opinion, not without some authority, that even with +such sanction, such departure from constitutional usage +could not be sustained were an appeal to be lodged.</p> + +<p>"Even the high court of representatives of all +the nation, assembled in the fulness of their power, +could not legalise what is in itself and of its own +nature illegal. Customs of this kind, which are +founded upon the innate sense and feeling of every +individual, cannot, in short, be abolished by Act of +Parliament. Upon this all the authorities I have +consulted are perfectly agreed. What has grown up +during the process of so many generations, cannot be +now put on one side. This, gentlemen, is rather an +abstruse part of the question, being one which recommends +itself for consideration to the purely legal +intellect. It is a matter, too, of high state policy +which rises above the knowledge of the common herd. +We may take it for granted, and pass on from the +general to the special aspect of this most remarkable +case.</p> + +<p>"What do we see? We see a proposed alliance +between an august magpie and a beautiful jay. Now +we know by experience that what the palace does one +day, the world at large will do to-morrow. It is the +instinct of nature to follow the example of those set so +high above us. We may therefore conclude, without +fear of contradiction, that this alliance will be followed +by others equally opposed to tradition. We shall have +hundreds of other equally ill-assorted unions. If it +could be confined to this one instance, a dispensation +might doubtless be arranged. I, for one, should not +oppose it. ('I hate you!' shouted the jay.) But no +one can for a moment shut his eye to what must +happen. We shall have, as I before remarked, hundreds +of these ill-assorted unions.</p> + +<p>"Now I need not enlarge upon the unhappy state +of affairs which would thus be caused: the family jars, +the shock to your feelings, the pain that must be +inflicted upon loving hearts. With that I have nothing +to do. It may safely be left to your imagination. But +what I, as a statesman and a lawyer, have to deal with, +is the legal, that is the common-sense view of the +situation, and my first question is this: I ask myself, +and I beg you, each of you, to ask yourselves—I ask +myself, What effect would these ill-assorted unions produce +upon the inheritance of property?"</p> + +<p>"True-whoo!" said the wood-pigeon.</p> + +<p>"Hum! Haw!" said the rook.</p> + +<p>"Law-daw!" said Cloctaw.</p> + +<p>"Very important, very!" said the fox. "The +sacred laws of property cannot with safety be interfered +with."</p> + +<p>"No intrusion can be thought of for a moment," +said the stoat.</p> + +<p>"Most absurd!" said the jay.</p> + +<p>"The very point!" said the missel-thrush.</p> + +<p>"Very clear, indeed!" said the mouse; "I am sure +the rat will echo the sentiment."</p> + +<p>"Every one will agree with you," said Ki Ki, the +hawk.</p> + +<p>"I think the same," said the chaffinch.</p> + +<p>"The question is undoubtedly very important," +continued the owl, when the buzz had subsided, and +much pleased at the sensation he had caused. "You +all agree that the question is not one to be lightly +decided or passed over. In order to fully estimate the +threatened alteration in our present system, let us for +a moment survey the existing condition of affairs. I, +myself, to begin with, I and my ancestors, for many +generations, have held undisputed possession of this +pollard. Not the slightest flaw has ever been discovered +in our title-deeds; and no claimant has ever arisen. +The rook has had, I believe, once or twice some little +difficulty respecting his own particular tenancy, which +is not a freehold; but his townsmen, as a body, possess +their trees in peace. The crow holds an oak; the +wood-pigeon has an ash; the missel-thrush a birch; +our respected friend the fox here, has a burrow which +he inherited from a deceased rabbit, and he has also +contingent claims on the witheybed, and other property +in the country; the stoat has a charter of free +warren."</p> + +<p>"And I have an elm," said Tchink; "let anybody +come near it, that's all."</p> + +<p>"The squirrel," continued the owl, "has an +acknowledged authority over this copse; and the jay +has three or four firs of his own."</p> + +<p>"And St. Paul belongs to me," said Cloctaw, the +jackdaw.</p> + +<p>"Well, now," said the owl, raising his voice and +overpowering the husky Cloctaw, "about these various +properties little or no dispute can take place; the son +succeeds to the father, and the nephew to the uncle. +Occasional litigation, of course, occurs, which I have +often had the pleasure of conducting to an amicable +and satisfactory termination. But, upon the whole, +there is very little difficulty; and the principle of +inheritance is accepted by all. Your approval, indeed, +has just been signified in the most unanimous manner. +But what shall we see if the example set by the palace +spreads among society? The ash at the present moment +is owned by the wood-pigeon; were the wood-pigeon's +heir to marry the missel-thrush's heiress, just +imagine the conflicting claims which would arise.</p> + +<p>"The family would be divided amongst itself; all +the relations upon the paternal side, and the relations +upon the maternal side would join the contest, and +peace would be utterly at an end. And so in all +other instances. The crow would no longer have +a fee-simple of the oak, the jackdaw of the steeple, +the rook of the elm, the fox of the burrow, or I of my +pollard. We might even see the rook claiming the——But +I will not follow the illustration further, lest I be +charged with descending to personalities. I will only +add, in conclusion, that if this ill-fated union takes +place, we must look forward to seeing every home +broken up, our private settlements, our laws of hereditary +succession set upon one side, our property divided +among a miscellaneous horde of people, who will not +know their own grandfathers, and our most cherished +sentiments cast to the winds of heaven." With which +words the owl concluded, and was greeted with marks +of approval from all parts of the circle.</p> + +<p>"We are all very much indebted to the owl," said +the fox, "for putting the true aspect of the case so +clearly before us. His learned discourse—not more +learned than lucid—has convinced us all of the extreme +inexpediency of this alliance."</p> + +<p>"If this course is persisted in," said the crow, +"it can only end, in my opinion, in a way disastrous +to the state. The king cannot decline to listen to our +representations, if we are united."</p> + +<p>"Haw!" said the rook; "I'm not so sure of that. +Kapchack likes his own way."</p> + +<p>"Kapchack is very self-willed," said the hawk. +"It is almost our turn to have our way once now."</p> + +<p>"So I should say," screamed the jay, who could +never open his beak without getting into a temper. +"So I should say; Kapchack is a wicked old——"</p> + +<p>"Hush, hush," said the squirrel; "you can't tell +who may be listening."</p> + +<p>"I don't care," said the jay, ruffling up his feathers; +"Kapchack is a wicked old fellow, and Tchack-tchack +is as bad."</p> + +<p>"Capital!" said Tchink, the chaffinch; "I like outspoken +people. But I have heard that you (to the jay) +are very fond of flirting." At this there would have +been a disturbance, had not the fox interfered.</p> + +<p>"We shall never do anything, unless we agree +amongst ourselves," he said. "Now, the question is, +are we going to do anything?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, that is it," said the missel-thrush, who hated +talking, and liked to be doing; "what is it we are +going to do?"</p> + +<p>"Something must be done," said the owl, very +solemnly.</p> + +<p>"Yes; something must be done," said Cloctaw.</p> + +<p>"Something must be done," said Ki Ki.</p> + +<p>"I think, think so," said Tchink.</p> + +<p>"I, too," said the dove.</p> + +<p>"Quite true," said the wood-pigeon.</p> + +<p>"Something must be done," said the stoat.</p> + +<p>"Let us tell Kapchack what we think," said the +mouse, getting bold, as he was not eaten.</p> + +<p>"A good idea," said the crow; "a very good idea. +We will send the mouse with a message."</p> + +<p>"Dear me! No, no," cried the mouse, terribly +frightened; "Kapchack is awful in a rage—my life +would not be worth a minute's purchase. Let the +stoat go."</p> + +<p>"Not I," said the stoat; "I have had to suffer +enough already, on account of my relation to that rascal +the weasel, whom Kapchack suspects of designs upon +his throne. I will not go."</p> + +<p>"Nor I," said the fox; "Kapchack has looked +angrily at me for a long time—he cannot forget my +royal descent. Let the hawk go."</p> + +<p>"I! I!" said Ki Ki. "Nonsense; Kapchack does +not much like me now; he gave me a hint the other +day not to soar too high. I suppose he did not like +to think of my overlooking him kissing pretty La +Schach."</p> + +<p>"Wretch! horrid wretch!" screamed the jay, at +the mention of the kissing, in a paroxysm of jealousy. +"Pecking is too good for him!"</p> + +<p>"Send the jackdaw or the crow," said Ki Ki.</p> + +<p>"No, no," said Kauc and Cloctaw together. "Try +the wood-pigeon."</p> + +<p>"I go?—whoo," said the pigeon. "Impossible. +Kapchack told me to my face the other day that he +more than half suspected me of plotting to go over to +Choo Hoo. I dare not say such a thing to him."</p> + +<p>"Nor I," said the dove. "Why not the owl?"</p> + +<p>"The fact is," said the owl, "my relations with +Kapchack are of a peculiar and delicate nature. Although +I occupy the position of a trusted counsellor, +and have the honour to be chief secretary of state, that +very position forbids my taking liberties, and it is clear +if I did, and were in consequence banished from the +court, that I could not plead your cause. Now, the +rat——"</p> + +<p>"I am sure the rat will not go," said the mouse. +"My friend the rat is very particularly engaged, and +could not possibly stir from home at this juncture. +There is the missel-thrush."</p> + +<p>"Ridiculous," said the missel-thrush. "Everybody +knows I had to leave my hawthorn-tree because Prince +Tchack-tchack took a fancy to it. He would very +likely accuse me to his father of high treason, for he +hates me more than poison ever since he did me that +injury, and would lose no chance of compassing my +destruction. Besides which my relative—the favourite—would +effectually prevent me from obtaining an +audience. Now, there's the squirrel."</p> + +<p>"My dear sir," said the squirrel, "it is well known +I never meddle with politics. I am most happy to see +you all here, and you can have the use of my copse at +any time, and I may say further that I sympathise +with your views in a general way. But on no account +could I depart from my principles."</p> + +<p>"His principles," muttered the crow, always a +cynical fellow. "His principles are his own beech-trees. +If anybody touched them he would not object +to politics then."</p> + +<p>"This is rather awkward," said the owl. "There +seems an embarrassment on the part of all of us, and +we must own that to venture into the presence of a +despotic monarch with such unpleasant advice requires +no slight courage. Now, I propose that since the +weasel has attained so high a reputation for address, +that he be called upon to deliver our message."</p> + +<p>"Hear, hear," said the fox.</p> + +<p>"Hear, hear," said the stoat.</p> + +<p>"Capital," said the chaffinch. "Old Spectacles +can always see a way out of a difficulty."</p> + +<p>"Haw!" said the rook. "I'm doubtful. Perhaps +the weasel will not see it in this light."</p> + +<p>"Buzz," said the humble-bee, just then returning. +"Gentlemen, I have seen the weasel. His lordship +was lying on a bank in the sun—he is very ill indeed. +His limbs are almost powerless; he has taken a chill +from sleeping in a damp hole. He sends his humble +apology, and regrets he cannot move. I left him licking +his helpless paw. Buzz, buzz."</p> + +<p>"Hark! hark!" said the woodpecker, bursting into +the circle with such a shout and clatter that the dove +flew a little way in alarm. "Kapchack is waking up. +I have been watching all the time to let you know. +And there is no chance of Prince Tchack-tchack coming, +for he told me that Kapchack ordered him not to leave +the orchard while he was asleep."</p> + +<p>"I do not believe it," said the jay. "He is a false +scoundrel, and I daresay Kapchack never gave any +such order, and never thought about it. However, +there is no help for it, we must break up this meeting, +or we shall be missed. But it is clear that something +must be done."</p> + +<p>"Something must be done," said the wood-pigeon, +as he flew off.</p> + +<p>"Something must be done," repeated the dove.</p> + +<p>"Something must be done," said the owl, as he +went down into the pollard to sleep the rest of the day. +Off went the mouse as fast as he could go, anxious to +get away from the neighbourhood of the weasel. The +missel-thrush had started directly he heard what the +woodpecker said, disgusted that there was no action, +and nothing but talk. The jay went off with the +hawk, remarking as he went that he had expected +better things of the fox, whose royal ancestors had so +great a reputation, and could contrive a scheme to +achieve anything, while their ignoble descendant was +so quiet, and scarce spoke a word. It seemed as if the +weasel would soon outdo him altogether. The rook +flew straight away to the flock to which he belonged, +to tell them all that had been said. The chaffinch +left at the same time; the fox and the stoat went +away together; the crow and the jackdaw accompanied +each other a little way. When they had gone a +short distance the crow said he wanted to say something +very particular, so they perched together on a +lonely branch.</p> + +<p>"What is it?" said Cloctaw.</p> + +<p>"The fact is," said the crow, "my belief is—come +a little nearer—my belief is that Kapchack's reign is +coming to an end. People won't put up with +this."</p> + +<p>"Ah," said the jackdaw, "if that is the case who +is to be king?"</p> + +<p>"Well," said the crow, "let me whisper to you; +come a little nearer." He hopped towards Cloctaw. +Cloctaw hopped the other way. The crow hopped +towards him again, till Cloctaw came to the end of +the branch, and could go no farther without flying, +which would look odd under the circumstances. So +he kept a very sharp eye on Kauc, for the fact was +they had had many a quarrel when they were younger, +and Cloctaw was not at all sure that he should not +have a beak suddenly driven through his head.</p> + +<p>"The truth is," said the crow, in a hoarse whisper, +"there's a chance for you and me. Can't you see the +fox is very stupid, quite abject, and without the least +spirit; the stoat is very fierce, but has no mind; +everybody suspects the weasel, and will not trust +him; as for the rat, he is no favourite; the hawk is—well, +the hawk is dangerous, but might be disposed +of ('You black assassin,' thought Cloctaw to himself); +the rook has not a chance, for his friends would be +too jealous to let one of their number become a king; +and for the rest, they are too weak. There's only you +and me left."</p> + +<p>"I see," said Cloctaw; "but we could not both +be king."</p> + +<p>"Why not?" said the crow; "you wear the +crown and live in the palace; you are old, and it +would be nice and comfortable; you have all the state +and dignity, and I will do the work."</p> + +<p>"It is very kind of you to propose it," said Cloctaw, +as if considering. In his heart he thought: "Oh, +yes, very convenient indeed; I am to wear the crown, +and be pecked at by everybody, and <i>you</i> to do all the +work—that is, to go about and collect the revenue, and +be rich, and have all the power, while I have all the +danger".</p> + +<p>"It is quite feasible, I am sure," said the crow; +"especially if Prince Tchack-tchack continues his +undutiful course, and if Choo Hoo should come up +with his army."</p> + +<p>"I must think about it," said Cloctaw; "we +must not be too hasty."</p> + +<p>"Oh, dear no," said the crow, delighted to have +won over one important politician to his cause so easily; +"we must wait and watch events. Of course this +little conversation is quite private?"</p> + +<p>"Perfectly private," said Cloctaw; and they parted.</p> + +<p>The crow had an appointment, and Cloctaw flew +direct to the steeple. His nest was in the highest +niche, just behind the image of St. Paul; and it was +not only the highest, but the safest from intrusion, for +there was no window near, and, on account of some +projections below, even a ladder could not be put up, +so that it was quite inaccessible without scaffolding. +This niche he discovered in his hot youth, when he +won renown by his strength and courage: he chose it +for his home, and defended it against all comers. He +was now old and feeble, but his reputation as a leading +politician, and his influence at the court of King Kapchack, +were too great for any to think of ousting him by +force.</p> + +<p>But the members of his family, in their extreme +solicitude for his personal safety, frequently represented +to him the danger he incurred in ascending so high. +Should a wing fail him, how terrible the consequences! +more especially for the race of which he was so distinguished +an ornament. Nor was there the least +reason for his labouring to that elevation; with his +reputation and influence, none would dare to meddle +with him. There were many pleasant places not so +exposed, as the gurgoyle, the leads, the angle of the +roof, where he could rest without such an effort; and +upon their part they would willingly assist him by +collecting twigs for a new nest.</p> + +<p>But Cloctaw turned a deaf ear to these kindly +proposals, and could not be made to see the advantages +so benevolently suggested. He would in no degree +abate his dignity, his right, power, or position. He +adhered to St. Paul. There he had built all his days, +and there he meant to stay to the last, for having seen +so much of the world, well he knew that possession is +ten points of the law, and well he understood the envy +and jealousy which dictated these friendly counsels.</p> + +<p>At the same time, as the fox and the stoat were +going through the fern, the stoat said: "It appears to +me that this is a very favourable opportunity for +ruining the weasel. Could we not make up some tale, +and tell Kapchack how the weasel asked us to a secret +meeting, or something?"</p> + +<p>Now the fox had his own ideas, and he wanted +to get rid of the stoat. "Another time," he said, +"another time, we will consider of it; but why waste +such a capital chance as you have to-day?"</p> + +<p>"Capital chance to-day?" said the stoat; "what +is it you mean?"</p> + +<p>"Did you not see the mouse?" said the fox. +"Did you not see how fat he was? And just think, +he has a long and lonely road home; and it would be +very easy to make a short cut (for he will not leave the +hedges which are round about) and get in front of, and +so intercept him. I should go myself, but I was out +last night, and feel tired this afternoon."</p> + +<p>"Oh, thank you," said the stoat; "I'll run that +way directly." And off he started, thinking to himself: +"How silly the fox has got, and how much he has +fallen off from the ancient wisdom for which his +ancestors were famous. Why ever did he not hold his +tongue, and I should never have thought of the mouse, +and the fox could have had him another day?"</p> + +<p>But the fact was the fox recollected that the mouse +had had a long start, and it was very doubtful if the +stoat could overtake him, and if he did, most likely the +rat would come to meet his friend, and the stoat would +get the worst of the encounter.</p> + +<p>However ill the rat served the mouse, however +much he abused his superior strength, wreaking his +temper on his weaker companion, still the mouse clung +to him all the more. On the other hand the rat, +ready enough to injure the mouse himself, would allow +no one else (unless with his permission) to touch his +follower, wishing to reserve to himself a monopoly of +tyranny.</p> + +<p>So soon as the stoat was out of sight, the fox +looked round to see that no one was near, and he said +to a fly: "Fly, will you carry a message for me?"</p> + +<p>"I am very busy," said the fly, "very busy indeed."</p> + +<p>So the fox went a little farther, and said to a +humble-bee: "Humble-bee, will you carry a message +for me?"</p> + +<p>"I am just going home," said the humble-bee, and +buzzed along.</p> + +<p>So the fox went a little farther, and said to a +butterfly: "Beautiful butterfly, will you carry a message +for me?" But the disdainful butterfly did not +even answer.</p> + +<p>The fox went a little farther, and met a tomtit. +"Te-te," said he, addressing the tomtit by name, "will +you carry a message for me?"</p> + +<p>"What impudence!" said Te-te. "Mind your own +business, and do not speak to gentlemen."</p> + +<p>"I see how it is," said the fox to himself, "the +fortunes of my family are fallen, and I am disregarded. +When we were rich, and had a great reputation, and +were the first of all the people in the wood, then we +had messengers enough, and they flew to do our bidding. +But now, they turn aside. This is very bitter. +When I get home, I must curl round and think about +it; I cannot endure this state of things. How dreadful +it is to be poor! I wish we had not dissipated our +wealth so freely. However, there is a little left still in +a secret corner. As I said, I must see about it. Here +is a gnat. Gnat, will you carry a message for me?"</p> + +<p>"Well, I don't know," said the gnat; "I must +think about it. Will to-morrow do?"</p> + +<p>"No," said the fox quickly, before the gnat flew +off. "Go for me to Kapchack, and say there has been +a secret——"</p> + +<p>"A secret?" said the gnat; "that's another matter." +And he went down closer to the fox.</p> + +<p>"Yes," said the fox, "you fly as fast as you can, +and whisper to Kapchack—you have free admittance, +I know, to the palace—that there has been a secret +meeting in the copse about his love affair, and that the +courtiers are all against it, and are bent on his +destruction, especially the owl, the hawk, the crow, +the rook, the weasel (the weasel worst of all, for they +would have chosen him as their deputy), the stoat, and +the jackdaw, and that he has only one true friend, the +fox, who sends the message."</p> + +<p>"All right!" said the gnat; "all right, I'll go!" +And off he flew, delighted to be entrusted with so great +a secret.</p> + +<p>While the courtiers were thus intriguing, not only +against Kapchack, but against each other, Bevis and +the squirrel went back into the raspberries, and Bevis +helped himself to the fruit that had ripened since +yesterday.</p> + +<p>"It seems to me," said Bevis, after he had eaten as +much as he could, "that they are all very wicked."</p> + +<p>"So they are," said the squirrel. "I am sorry to +say they are rather treacherous, and I warned you not +to believe all they said to you. I would not let them +use my copse, but the fact is, if they are wicked, Kapchack +is a hundred times more so. Besides, it is very +hard on the jay, who is an old acquaintance of mine—we +often have a chat in the fir-trees—to have his dear, +sweet, pretty lady stolen away from him by such a +horrid old wretch, whose riches and crown have quite +turned her head!"</p> + +<p>"What a business it all is," said Bevis. "Everybody +seems mixed up in it. And so it is true that +Prince Tchack-tchack is also in love with the pretty +jay?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, that it is," said the squirrel; "and, between +you and me, I have seen her flirt with him desperately, +in that very hawthorn bush he forced the missel-thrush +to give up to him. And that is the reason he will not +let Kapchack peck his eye out, as he is so vain, and +likes to look nice."</p> + +<p>"Let Kapchack peck his eye out! But Kapchack +is his father. Surely his papa would not peck his eye +out?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, dear me!" said the squirrel, "I almost let +the secret out. Goodness! I hope nobody heard me. +And pray, Bevis dear, don't repeat it—oh, pray don't!—or +it will be sure to be traced to me. I wish I had never +heard it. If I had not listened to that vile old crow; +if I had not been so curious, and overheard him +muttering to himself, and suggesting doubts at night! +Bevis dear, don't you ever be curious, and don't you +say a word."</p> + +<p>The squirrel was in a terrible fright, till Bevis +promised not to repeat anything.</p> + +<p>"But," said he, "you have not told me the secret."</p> + +<p>"No," said the squirrel, "but I very nearly did, +and only just stopped in time. Why, if the trees heard +it, they would pass it from one to the other in a +moment. Dear, dear!" He sat down, he was so +frightened he could not frisk about. But Bevis +stroked him down, and soothed him, and said he had +the most lovely silky tail in the world, and this brought +him to himself again.</p> + +<p>"All this comes," said the squirrel, "of my having +run up the wrong side of the tree first this morning. +Take care, Bevis dear, that you too do not make a +mistake, and put the wrong foot first out of bed when +you get up." Bevis laughed at this, and asked which +was his wrong foot. "Well," said the squirrel, "the +fact is, it depends: sometimes it is one, and sometimes +it is the other, and that is the difficulty, to know which +it is, and makes all the difference in life. The very best +woman I ever knew (and she was a farmer's wife) +always, when she was out walking, put one foot before +the other, and so was always right."</p> + +<p>"Nonsense," said Bevis, "how could she walk +without putting one foot before the other?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes," said the squirrel, "many people, though +they think they put one foot before the other, really +keep the wrong foot foremost all the time. But do you +remember to-morrow morning when you get up."</p> + +<p>"I do not see what difference it can make," said +Bevis.</p> + +<p>"If you put one foot out first," said the squirrel, +"it will very likely lead you to the looking-glass, where +you will see yourself and forget all the rest, and you +will do one sort of thing that day; and if you put the +other out first it will lead you to the window, and then +you will see something, and you will think about that, +and do another sort of thing; and if you put both feet +out of bed together they will take you to the door, and +there you will meet somebody, who will say something, +and you will do another kind of thing. So you see it +is a very important matter, and this woman, as I said, +was the best that ever lived."</p> + +<p>"No she wasn't," said Bevis, "she was not half so +good as my mother is."</p> + +<p>"That is true, dear," said the squirrel. "Your +mother is the very best of all. But don't forget about +your feet to-morrow morning, dear."</p> + +<p>"Look up," said Bevis, "and tell me what bird that +is."</p> + +<p>The squirrel looked up, and saw a bird going over +at a great height. "That is a peewit," he said. "He +is a messenger; you can see how fast and straight he is +flying. He is bringing some news, I feel sure, about +Choo Hoo. Kapchack sent an out-post of peewits over +the hills to watch Choo Hoo's movements, and to let +him know directly if he began to gather his army together. +Depend upon it, dear, there is some very +important news. I must tell the woodpecker, and he +will find out; he is very clever at that." The squirrel +began to get restless, though he did not like to tell +Bevis to go.</p> + +<p>"You promised to tell me about Choo Hoo," said +Bevis.</p> + +<p>"So I did," said the squirrel, "and if you will come +to-morrow I will do so; I am rather in a hurry just now."</p> + +<p>"Very well," said Bevis, "I will come to-morrow. +Now show me the way to the felled tree." As they +were going Bevis recollected the weasel, and asked if +he was really so ill he could not move, but was obliged +to lick his paw to cure the pain.</p> + +<p>The squirrel laughed. "No," he whispered; +"don't you say I said so: the truth is, the weasel is as +well as you or I, and now the council is broken up I +daresay he is running about as quickly as he likes. +And, Bevis dear, stoop down and I'll tell you (Bevis +stooped), the fact is, he was at the council all the time."</p> + +<p>"But I never saw him," said Bevis, "and he never +said anything."</p> + +<p>"No," whispered the squirrel very quietly, "he +wanted to hear what they said without being present; +he was in the elm all the time; you know, dear, that +malice-minded elm on the other side of the raspberries, +which I told you was rotten inside. He lives there in +that hole; there is a way into it level with the ground; +that is his secret hiding-place."</p> + +<p>"I will bring my cannon-stick to-morrow," said +Bevis, delighted to have discovered where the weasel +lived at last, "and I will shoot into the hole and kill +him."</p> + +<p>"I could not let you do that," said the squirrel. +"I do not allow any fighting, or killing, in my copse, +and that is the reason all the birds and animals come +here to hold their meetings, because they know it is +a sanctuary. If you shoot off your cannon the birds +are sure to hear it, and you will not be present at any +more of their meetings, and you will not hear any +more of the story. Therefore it would be very foolish +of you to shoot off your cannon; you must wait, Bevis +dear, till you can catch the weasel outside my copse, +and then you may shoot him as much as you like."</p> + +<p>"Very well," said Bevis, rather sulkily, "I will not +shoot him in the hole if you do not want me to. But +how could the weasel have been in the elm all the +time, when the humble-bee said he found him lying +in the sunshine on a bank licking his paw?"</p> + +<p>"Why, of course he told the humble-bee to say +that."</p> + +<p>"What a cheater he is, isn't he?" said Bevis. +"And how did you find out where he lived? I looked +everywhere for him, and so did Pan—Pan sniffed and +sniffed, but could not find him."</p> + +<p>"Nor could I," said the squirrel. "After you shot +the—I mean after the unfortunate business with the +thrush, he kept out of the way, knowing that you had +vowed vengeance against him, and although I go about +a good deal, and peep into so many odd corners, I could +not discover his whereabouts, till the little tree-climber +told me. You know the tree-climber, dear, you have +seen him in your orchard at home; he goes all round +and round the trees, and listens at every chink, and so +he learns almost all the secrets. He heard the weasel +in the elm, and came at once and told me. Here is +the timber, and there is the dragon-fly. Good-afternoon, +Bevis dear; come to-morrow, and you shall hear the +peewit's news, and be sure and not forget to put the +right foot out of bed first in the morning." Bevis kissed +his hand to the squirrel, and went home with the +dragon-fly.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII"></a>CHAPTER VIII.</h2> + +<h3>THE EMPEROR CHOO HOO.</h3> + + +<p>When he woke next morning, Bevis quite forgot what +the squirrel had told him; he jumped out of bed without +thinking, and his right foot touched the floor first, +and led him to the window. From the window he +saw the brook, and recollected that the brook had +promised to tell him what he was singing, so as soon +as ever he could get out of doors away he went through +the gateway the grasshopper had shown him, and down +to the hatch. Instead of coming quietly on tip-toe, as +the brook had told him, he danced up, and the kingfisher +heard him, and went off as before, whistling: +"Weep, weep". Bevis stood on the brink and said: +"Brook, Brook, what are you singing? You promised +to tell me what you were saying."</p> + +<p>The brook did not answer, but went on singing. +Bevis listened a minute, and then he picked a willow leaf +and threw it into the bubbles, and watched it go whirling +round and round in the eddies, and back up under +the fall, where it dived down, and presently came up +again, and the stream took it and carried it away past +the flags. "Brook, Brook," said Bevis, stamping his +foot, "tell me what you are singing."</p> + +<p>And the brook, having now finished that part of +his song, said: "Bevis dear, sit down in the shadow of +the willow, for it is very hot to-day, and the reapers +are at work; sit down under the willow, and I will tell +you as much as I can remember."</p> + +<p>"But the reed said you could not remember anything," +said Bevis, leaning back against the willow.</p> + +<p>"The reed did not tell you the truth, dear; indeed, +he does not know all; the fact is, the reeds are so +fond of talking that I scarcely ever answer them now, +or they would keep on all day long, and I should never +hear the sound of my own voice, which I like best. +So I do not encourage them, and that is why the reeds +think I do not recollect."</p> + +<p>"And what is that you sing about?" said Bevis, +impatiently.</p> + +<p>"My darling," said the brook, "I do not know +myself always what I am singing about. I am so happy +I sing, sing, and never think about what it means; it +does not matter what you mean as long as you sing. +Sometimes I sing about the sun, who loves me dearly, +and tries all day to get at me through the leaves and +the green flags that hide me; he sparkles on me everywhere +he can, and does not like me to be in the shadow. +Sometimes I sing to the wind, who loves me next most +dearly, and will come to me everywhere, in places where +the sun cannot get. He plays with me whenever he can, +and strokes me softly, and tells me the things he has +heard in the woods and on the hills, and sends down +the leaves to float along, for he knows I like something +to carry. Fling me in some leaves, Bevis dear.</p> + +<p>"Sometimes I sing to the earth and the grass; +they are fond of me too, and listen the best of all. I +sing loudest at night, to the stars, for they are so far +away they would not otherwise hear me."</p> + +<p>"But what do you say?" said Bevis; but the +brook was too occupied now to heed him, and went +on.</p> + +<p>"Sometimes I sing to the trees; they, too, are +fond of me, and come as near as they can; they would +all come down close to me if they could. They love +me like the rest, because I am so happy, and never +cease my chanting. If I am broken to pieces against +a stone, I do not mind in the least; I laugh just the +same, and even louder. When I come over the hatch, +I dash myself to fragments; and sometimes a rainbow +comes and stays a little while with me. The trees +drink me, and the grass drinks me, the birds come +down and drink me; they splash me, and are happy. +The fishes swim about, and some of them hide in deep +corners. Round the bend I go, and the osiers say they +never have enough of me. The long grass waves and +welcomes me; the moor-hens float with me; the kingfisher +is always with me somewhere, and sits on the +bough to see his ruddy breast in the water. And you +come too, Bevis, now and then to listen to me; and it +is all because I am so happy."</p> + +<p>"Why are you so happy?" said Bevis.</p> + +<p>"I do not know," said the brook. "Perhaps it is +because all I think of is this minute; I do not know +anything about the minute just gone by, and I do not +care one bit about the minute that is just coming; all +I care about is this minute, this very minute now. +Fling me in some more leaves, Bevis. Why do you go +about asking questions, dear? Why don't you sing, +and do nothing else?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, but I want to know all about everything," +said Bevis. "Where did you come from, and where +are you going, and why don't you go on and let the +ground be dry—why don't you run on, and run all +away? Why are you always here?"</p> + +<p>The brook laughed, and said: "My dear, I do not +know where I came from, and I do not care at all where +I am going. What does it matter, my love? All I +know is I shall come back again; yes, I shall come +back again." The brook sang very low, and rather +sadly now: "I shall go into the sea, and shall be lost; +and even you would not know me—ask your father, +love, he has sailed over the sea in the ships that come +to Southampton, and I was close to him, but he did +not know me. But by-and-by, when I am in the sea, +the sun will lift me up, and the clouds will float along—look +towards the hills, Bevis dear, every morning, +and you will see the clouds coming and bringing me +with them; and the rain and the dew, and sometimes +the thunder and the lightning, will put me down again, +and I shall run along here and sing to you, my sweet, +if you will come and listen. Fling in some little twigs, +my dear, and some bits of bark from the tree."</p> + +<p>Then the brook sang very low and very sad, and +said: "I shall come back again, Bevis; I always come +back, and I am always happy; and yet I do not know +either if I am really happy when I am singing so joyously. +Bevis dear, try and think and tell me. Am I +really happy, Bevis? Tell me, dear; you can see the +sun sparkling on me, and the wind stroking me, just +as he strokes your hair (he told me he was very fond of +you, and meant to tell you a story some day), and the +reeds whispering, and the willows drooping over me, +and the bright kingfisher; you can hear me singing, +Bevis, now am I happy?"</p> + +<p>"I do not know," said Bevis; "sometimes you +sound very happy, but just now you sound very sad. +Stop a little while and think about it."</p> + +<p>"Oh, no, Bevis; I cannot stop, I must keep running. +Nothing can stop, dear: the trees cannot stop +growing, they must keep on growing till they die; and +then they cannot stop decaying, till they are all quite +gone; but they come back again. Nor can you stop, +Bevis dear."</p> + +<p>"I will stop," said Bevis.</p> + +<p>"You cannot," said the brook.</p> + +<p>"But I will."</p> + +<p>"You cannot. You are a very clever boy, Bevis, +but you cannot stop; nor can your papa, nor anybody, +you must keep on. Let me see, let me think. I remember, +I have seen you before; it was so many, many +thousand years ago, but I am almost sure it was you. +Now I begin to think about it, I believe I have seen +you two or three times, Bevis; but it was before the +hippopotamus used to come and splash about in me. +I cannot be quite certain, for it is a long time to remember +your face, dear."</p> + +<p>"I do not believe it," said Bevis; "you are babbling, +Brook. My mamma says you babble—it is because +you are so old. I am sure I was not born then."</p> + +<p>"Yes, you were, dear; and I daresay you will come +back again, when all the hills are changed and the +roads are covered with woods, and the houses gone. I +daresay you will come back again and splash in me, +like the blackbirds."</p> + +<p>"Now you are talking nonsense, you silly Brook," +said Bevis; "the hills will never change, and the roads +will always be here, and the houses will not be gone: +but why are you sighing, you dear old Brook?"</p> + +<p>"I am sighing, my love, because I remember."</p> + +<p>"What do you remember?"</p> + +<p>"I remember before the hills were like they are +now; I remember when I was a broad deep river; I +remember the stars that used to shine in me, and they are +all gone, you cannot see them now, Bevis ('Pooh,' said +Bevis); I remember the stories the lions used to tell me +when they came down to drink; I remember the people +dancing on the grass by me, and sing, singing; they used +to sing like me, Bevis, without knowing what it was +they sung, and without any words (not stupid songs, +Bevis, like your people sing now), but I understood +them very well. I cannot understand the songs the +folk sing now, the folk that live now have gone away +so far from me."</p> + +<p>"What nonsense you say, old Brook; why, we live +quite close, and the waggons go over your bridge every +day."</p> + +<p>"I remember (the brook took no notice, but went +on), I remember them very well, and they loved me +dearly too; they had boats, Bevis, made out of trees, +and they floated about on me."</p> + +<p>"I will have a boat," said Bevis, "and float about +on you."</p> + +<p>"And they played music, which was just like my +singing, and they were very happy, because, as I told +you about myself, they did not think about the minute +that was coming, or the minute that had gone by, they +only thought about this minute."</p> + +<p>"How long was that ago?" said Bevis.</p> + +<p>"Oh," said the brook, "I daresay your papa would +tell you it was thousands upon thousands of years, but +that is not true, dear; it was only a second or two +since."</p> + +<p>"I shall not stay to listen much longer, silly Brook, +if you talk like that; why, it must be longer than that, +or I should have seen it."</p> + +<p>"My dear," said the brook, "that which has gone +by, whether it happened a second since, or a thousand +thousand years since, is just the same; there is no real +division betwixt you and the past. You people who +live now have made up all sorts of stupid, very stupid +stories, dear; I hope you will not believe them; they +tell you about time and all that. Now there is no such +thing as time, Bevis my love; there never was any +time, and there never will be; the sun laughs at it, +even when he marks it on the sun-dial. Yesterday +was just a second ago, and so was ten thousand years +since, and there is nothing between you and then; +there is no wall between you and then—nothing at all, +dear,"—and the brook sang so low and thoughtfully +that Bevis could not catch what he said, but the tune +was so sweet, and soft, and sad that it made him keep +quite still. While he was listening the kingfisher +came back and perched on the hatch, and Bevis saw +his ruddy neck and his blue wings.</p> + +<p>"There is nothing between you and then," the +brook began again, "nothing at all, dear; only some +stories which are not true; if you will not believe me, +look at the sun, but you cannot look at the sun, darling; +it shines so bright. It shines just the same, as bright +and beautiful; and the wind blows as sweet as ever, +and I sparkle and sing just the same, and you may +drink me if you like; and the grass is just as green; +and the stars shine at night. Oh, yes, Bevis dear, <i>we</i> +are all here just the same, my love, and all things are +as bright and beautiful as ten thousand times ten thousand +years ago, which is no longer since than a second.</p> + +<p>"But your people have gone away from us—that is +their own fault. I cannot think why they should do +so; they have gone away from us, and they are no +longer happy, Bevis; they cannot understand our songs—they +sing stupid songs they have made up themselves, +and which they did not learn of us, and then because +they are not happy, they say: 'The world is growing +old'. But it is not true, Bevis, the world is not old, it +is as young as ever it was. Fling me a leaf—and now +another. Do not you forget me, Bevis; come and see +me now and then, and throw twigs to me and splash +me."</p> + +<p>"That I will," said Bevis; and he picked up a +stone and flung it into the water with such a splash +that the kingfisher flew away, but the brook only +laughed, and told him to throw another, and to make +haste and eat the peck of salt, and grow bigger and +jump over him. "That I will," said Bevis, "I am +very hungry now—good-morning, I am going home to +dinner."</p> + +<p>"Good-morning, dear," said the brook, "you will +always find me here when you want to hear a song." +Bevis went home to dinner humming the tune the +brook had taught him, and by-and-by, when the hot +sun had begun to sink a little, he started again for the +copse, and as before the dragon-fly met him, and led +him to the timber, and from there to the raspberries.</p> + +<p>The squirrel was waiting for him on a bough of the +oak, and while Bevis picked the fruit that had ripened +since yesterday, told him the news the peewits had +brought about the great rebel Choo Hoo. A party of +the peewits, who had been watching ever so far away, +thought they saw a stir and a movement in the woods; +and presently out came one of the captains of the +wood-pigeons with two hundred of his soldiers, and +they flew over the border into King Kapchack's country +and began to forage in one of his wheat-fields, where +the corn was ripe. When they saw this, the peewits +held a council on the hill, and they sent a messenger to +Kapchack with the news. While they were waiting +for him to return, some of the wood-pigeons, having +foraged enough, went home to the woods, so that there +was not much more than half of them left.</p> + +<p>Seeing this—for his soldiers who were wheeling +about in the air came and told him—the captain of the +peewits thought: "Now is my time! This is a most +lucky and fortunate circumstance, and I can now win +the high approval of King Kapchack, and obtain promotion. +The captain of the wood-pigeons has no idea +how many of us are watching his proceedings, for I +have kept my peewits behind the cover of the hill so +that he could not count them, and he has allowed half +of the wood-pigeons to go home. We will rush down +upon the rest, and so win an easy victory."</p> + +<p>So saying he flew up, and all the peewits followed +him in the expectation of an easy conquest. But, just +as they were descending upon the wheat-field, up flew +the wood-pigeons with such a terrible clangour of their +strong wings, and facing towards them, showed such a +determination to fight to the last breath, that the peewits, +who were never very celebrated for their courage, +turned tail, and began to retreat.</p> + +<p>They would still have reached the hills in good order, +and would have suffered no great disgrace (for they +were but a small party, and not so numerous as the +wood-pigeons), but in the midst of these manœuvres, +the lieutenant of the pigeons, who had gone home with +those who had done foraging, flew out from the wood +with his men, and tried by a flank movement to cut off +the peewits' retreat. At this they were so alarmed +they separated and broke up their ranks, each flying to +save himself as best he might. Nor did they stop till +long after the wood-pigeons, being cautious and under +complete control, had ceased to pursue; not till they +had flown back two or three miles into the fastnesses +of Kapchack's hills. Then some of them, collecting +again, held a hurried council, and sent off messengers +with the news of this affray.</p> + +<p>About the same time, it happened that a missel-thrush +arrived at the court, a son of the favourite +missel-thrush, the only bird whom Kapchack (and the +farmer) allowed to build in the orchard. The missel-thrush +had just travelled through part of the country +which once belonged to Kapchack, but which Choo +Hoo had over-run the year before, and he brought +Kapchack such a terrible account of the mighty armies +that he saw assembling, that the king was beside himself +with terror. Next came a crow, one of Kauc's +warriors, who had been that way, and he said that two +captains of the wood-pigeons, hearing of the peewits' +defeat, had already, and without staying for instructions +from Choo Hoo, entered the country and taken +possession of a copse on the slope of the hill from +which the peewits had descended.</p> + +<p>"And," said the squirrel, as Bevis, having eaten all +the raspberries, came and sat down on the moss under +the oak, "the upshot of it is that King Kapchack has +called a general council of war, which is to be held +almost directly at the owl's castle, in the pollard hard +by. For you must understand that the farmer who +lives near Kapchack's palace is so fierce, he will not let +any of the large birds (except the favourite missel-thrush) +enter the orchard, and therefore Kapchack has +to hold these great councils in the copse. What will +be the result I cannot think, and I am not without +serious apprehensions myself, for I have hitherto held +undisputed possession of this domain. But Choo Hoo +is so despotic, and has such an immense army at his +back, that I am not at all certain he will respect my +neutrality. As for Kapchack, he shivers in his claws +at the very name of the mighty rebel."</p> + +<p>"Why does Choo Hoo want King Kapchack's +country?" said Bevis. "Why cannot he stop where +he is?"</p> + +<p>"There is no reason, dear; but you know that all +the birds and animals would like to be king if they +could, and when Choo Hoo found that the wood-pigeons +(for he was nothing but an adventurer at first, without +any title or property except the ancestral ash) were +growing so numerous that the woods would hardly hold +them, and were continually being increased both by +their own populousness and by the arrival of fresh +bands, it occurred to him that this enormous horde of +people, if they could only be persuaded to follow him, +could easily over-run the entire country. Hitherto, it +was true, they had been easily kept in subjection, notwithstanding +their immense numbers, first, because +they had no leaders among them, nor even any nobles +or rich people to govern their movements and tell them +what to do; and next, because they were barbarians, +and totally destitute of art or refinement, knowledge, +or science, neither had they any skill in diplomacy or +politics, but were utterly outside the civilised nations.</p> + +<p>"Even their language, as you yourself have heard, +is very contracted and poor, without inflection or expression, +being nothing but the repetition of the same +sounds, by which means—that is simply by the number +and the depth of hollowness of the same monosyllables—they +convey their wishes to each other. It is, indeed, +wonderful how they can do so, and our learned men, +from this circumstance, have held that the language of +the wood-pigeon is the most difficult to acquire, so +much so that it is scarce possible for one who has not +been born among the barbarians to attain to any facility +in the use of these gutturals. This is the reason why +little or no intercourse has ever taken place between us +who are civilised and these hordes; that which has +gone on has been entirely conducted by the aid of +interpreters, being those few wood-pigeons who have +come away from the main body, and dwell peaceably +in our midst.</p> + +<p>"Now, Choo Hoo, as I said, being an adventurer, +with no more property than the ancestral ash, but a +pigeon of very extraordinary genius, considered within +himself that if any one could but persuade these +mighty and incredible myriads to follow him he could +over-run the entire country. The very absence of any +nobles or rich pigeons among them would make his +sway the more absolute if he once got power, for there +would be none to dispute it, or to put any check +upon him. Ignorant and barbarous as they were, the +common pigeons would worship such a captain as a +hero and a demi-god, and would fly to certain destruction +in obedience to his orders.</p> + +<p>"He was the more encouraged to the enterprise +because it was on record that in olden times great +bodies of pigeons had passed across the country sweeping +everything before them. Nothing could resist +their onward march, and it is owing to these barbarian +invasions that so many of our most precious +chronicles have been destroyed, and our early history, +Bevis dear, involved in obscurity. Their dominion—destructive +as it was—had, however, always passed +away as rapidly as it arose, on account of the lack of +cohesion in their countless armies. They marched +without a leader, and without order, obeying for a time +a common impulse; when that impulse ceased they +retired tumultuously, suffering grievous losses from the +armies which gathered behind and hung upon their +rear. Their bones whitened the fields, and the sun, +it is said, was darkened at noonday by their hastening +crowds fleeing in dense columns, and struck down as +they fled by hawks and crows.</p> + +<p>"Had they possessed a leader in whom they felt +confidence the result might have been very different; +indeed, our wisest historians express no doubt that +civilisation must have been entirely extinguished, and +these lovely fields and delicious woods have been +wholly occupied by the barbarians. Fortunately it +was not so. But, as I said, Choo Hoo, retiring to the +top of a lofty fir-tree, and filled with these ideas, +surveyed from thence the masses of his countrymen +returning to the woods to roost as the sun declined, +and resolved to lose no time in endeavouring to win +them to his will, and to persuade them to embark +upon the extraordinary enterprise which he had conceived.</p> + +<p>"Without delay he proceeded to promulgate his +plans, flying from tribe to tribe, and from flock to +flock, ceaselessly proclaiming that the kingdom was +the wood-pigeons' by right, by reason of their numbers, +and because of the wickedness of Kapchack and his +court, which wickedness was notorious, and must end +in disaster. As you may imagine, he met with little or +no response—for the most part the pigeons, being of a +stolid nature, went on with their feeding and talking, +and took no notice whatever of his orations. After a +while the elder ones, indeed, began to say to each other +that this agitator had better be put down and debarred +from freedom of speech, for such seditious language +must ultimately be reported to Kapchack, who would +send his body-guards of hawks among them and exact +a sanguinary vengeance.</p> + +<p>"Finding himself in danger, Choo Hoo, not one +whit abashed, instead of fleeing, came before the elders +and openly reproached them with misgovernment, +cowardice, and the concealment or loss of certain +ancient prophecies, which foretold the future power of +the wood-pigeons, and which he accused them of holding +back out of jealousy, lest they should lose the +miserable petty authority they enjoyed on account of +their age. Now, whether there were really any such +prophecies, I cannot tell you, or whether it was one of +Choo Hoo's clever artifices, it is a moot point among +our most learned antiquaries; the owl, who has the +best means of information, told me once that he believed +there was some ground for the assertion.</p> + +<p>"At any rate it suited Choo Hoo's purpose very +well; for although the elders and the heads of the +tribes forthwith proceeded to subject him to every +species of persecution, and attacked him so violently +that he lost nearly all his feathers, the common pigeons +sympathised with him, and hid him from their pursuit. +They were the more led to sympathise with him +because, on account of their ever-increasing numbers, +the territory allotted to them by Kapchack was daily +becoming less and less suited to their wants, and, in +short, there were some signs of a famine. They, therefore, +looked with longing eyes at the fertile country, +teeming with wheat and acorns around them, and +listened with greedy ears to the tempting prospect so +graphically described by Choo Hoo.</p> + +<p>"Above all, the young pigeons attached themselves +to his fortunes and followed him everywhere in continually +increasing bands, for he promised them wives +in plenty and trees for their nests without number; +for all the trees in their woods were already occupied +by the older families, who would not, moreover, part +with their daughters to young pigeons who had not a +branch to roost on. Some say that the fox, who had +long been deeply discontented at the loss of his ancestors' +kingdom and of his own wealth, which he dissipated +so carelessly, did not scruple to advise Choo Hoo +how to proceed. Be that as it may, I should be the +last to accuse any one of disloyalty without evident +proof; be that as it may, the stir and commotion grew +so great among the wood-pigeons, that presently the +news of it reached King Kapchack.</p> + +<p>"His spies, of whom he has so many (the chief of +them is Te-te, the tomtit, of whom I bid you beware), +brought him full intelligence of what was going on. +Kapchack lost no time in calling his principal advisers +around him; they met close by here (where the council +is to take place this afternoon), for he well knew the +importance of the news. It was not only, you see, the +immense numbers of the wood-pigeons and the impossibility +of resisting their march, were they once set in +motion, but he had to consider that there was a considerable +population of pigeons in our midst who might +turn traitors, and he was by no means sure of the +allegiance of various other tribes, who were only held +down by terror.</p> + +<p>"The council fully acknowledged the gravity of the +situation, and upon the advice of the hawk it was +resolved that Choo Hoo, as the prime mover of the +trouble, and as the only one capable of bringing matters +to a crisis, should be forthwith despatched. But when +the executioners proceeded to seize him he eluded their +clutches with the greatest ease; for his followers (such +was their infatuation) devoted their lives to his, and +threw themselves in the way of Kapchack's emissaries, +the hawks, submitting to be torn in pieces rather than +see their beloved hero lose a feather. Thus baffled, +the enraged Kapchack next tried to get him assassinated, +but, as before, his friends watched about him with +such solicitude that no one could enter the wood +where he slept at night without their raising such a disturbance +that their evil purpose was defeated.</p> + +<p>"In his rage Kapchack ordered a decimation of the +wood-pigeons, which I myself think was a great +mistake; but, as I have told you before, I do not +meddle with politics. Still I cannot help thinking +that if he had, instead, of his royal bounty and benevolence, +given the wood-pigeons an increase of territory, +seeing how near they sometimes came to a +famine, that they would have been disarmed and their +discontent turned to gratitude; but he ordered in his +rage and terror that they should be decimated, and let +loose the whole army of his hawks upon them, so that +the slaughter was awful to behold, and the ground was +strewn with their torn and mangled bodies. Yet they +remained faithful to Choo Hoo, and not one traitor +was found among these loyal barbarians.</p> + +<p>"But Choo Hoo, deeply distressed in mind, said that +he would relieve them from the burden of his presence +rather than thus be the cause of their sorrow. He +therefore left those provinces and flew out of the +country, leaving word behind him that he would +never return till he had seen the raven, and recovered +from him those ancient prophecies that had so long +been lost. He flew away, and disappeared in the +distance; the days and weeks passed, but he did not +return, and at last Kapchack, relieved of his apprehensions, +recalled his murderous troops, and the pigeons +were left in peace to lament their Choo Hoo.</p> + +<p>"A twelvemonth passed, and still Choo Hoo did +not come; the people said he had been called to the +happy Forest of the Heroes, and averred that sometimes +they heard his voice calling to them when no +one was near. There was no doubt that he had gone +with the raven. The raven, you must know, my dear +Sir Bevis, was once the principal judge and arbiter of +justice amongst us, so much so that he was above +kings, and it is certain that had he been here we should +not have had to submit to the sanguinary tyranny of +Kapchack, nor condemned to witness the scandalous +behaviour of his court, or the still greater scandal of +his own private life. But for some reason the raven +mysteriously left this country about a hundred years +ago, leaving behind him certain prophecies, some of +which no doubt you have heard, especially that upon +his return there will be no more famine, nor frost, nor +slaughter, nor conflict, but we shall all live together in +peace.</p> + +<p>"However that may be, the raven has never come +back; the learned hold that he must have died long +since, for he was so aged when he went away no one +knew his years, hinting in their disbelief that he went +away to die, and so surround his death with a halo of +mystery; but the common people are quite of a different +opinion, and strenuously uphold the belief that he will +some day return. Well, as I told you, a twelvemonth +went by, and Choo Hoo did not come, when suddenly +in the spring (when Kapchack himself was much occupied +in his palace, and most of his spies were busy with +their nests, and the matter had almost been forgotten) +Choo Hoo reappeared, bringing with him the most +beautiful young bride that was ever beheld, as he himself +was, on the other hand, the strongest and swiftest +of the wood-pigeons.</p> + +<p>"When this was known (and the news spread in a +minute) the enthusiasm of the barbarians knew no +bounds. Notwithstanding it was nesting-time, they +collected in such vast numbers that the boughs cracked +with their weight; they unanimously proclaimed Choo +Hoo emperor (for they disdained the title of king as not +sufficiently exalted), and declared their intention, as +soon as the nesting-time was over, and the proper +season—the autumn—for campaigning arrived, of following +him, and invading the kingdom of Kapchack.</p> + +<p>"Choo Hoo told them that, after many months of +wandering, he had at last succeeded in finding the +raven; at least he had not seen the raven himself, +but the raven had sent a special messenger, the hawfinch, +to tell him to be of good cheer, and to return to +the wood-pigeons, and to lead them forth against +Kapchack, who tottered upon his throne; and that he +(the raven) would send the night-jar, or goat-sucker, +with crooked and evil counsels to confound Kapchack's +wisdom. And indeed, Bevis, my dear, I have myself +seen several night-jars about here, and I am rather +inclined to think that there is some truth in this part +at least of what Choo Hoo says; for it is an old proverb, +which I daresay you have heard, that when the gods +design the destruction of a monarch they first make +him mad, and what can be more mad than Kapchack's +proposed marriage with the jay, to which he was doubtless +instigated by the night-jars, who, like genii of the +air, have been floating in the dusky summer twilight +round about his palace?</p> + +<p>"And they have, I really believe, confounded his +council and turned his wisdom to folly; for Kapchack +has been so cunning for so many, many years, and all +his family have been so cunning, and all his councillors, +that now I do believe (only I do not meddle with +politics) that this extreme cunning is too clever, and +that they will overreach themselves. However, we +shall see what is said at the council by-and-by.</p> + +<p>"Choo Hoo, having told the pigeons this, added that +he had further been instructed by the raven to give +them a sacred and mystic pass-word and rallying cry; +he did not himself know what it meant; it was, however, +something very powerful, and by it they would be led +to victory. So saying, he called 'Koos-takke!' and at +once the vast assembly seized the signal and responded +'Koos-takke!' which mystic syllables are now their +war-cry, their call of defiance, and their welcome to +their friends. You may often hear them shouting +these words in the depths of the woods; Choo Hoo +learnt them in the enchanted Forest of Savernake, +where, as every one knows, there are many mighty +magicians, and where, perhaps, the raven is still living +in its deep recesses. Now this war-cry supplied, as +doubtless the raven had foreseen, the very link that +was wanting to bind the immense crowd of wood-pigeons +together. Thenceforward they had a common +sign and pass-word, and were no longer scattered.</p> + +<p>"In the autumn Choo Hoo crossed the border with +a vast horde, and although Kapchack sent his generals, +who inflicted enormous losses, such as no other nation +but the barbarians could have sustained, nothing could +stay the advance of such incredible numbers. After a +whole autumn and winter of severe and continued +fighting, Choo Hoo, early in the next year, found that +he had advanced some ten (and in places fifteen) miles, +giving his people room to feed and move. He had +really pushed much farther than that, but he could not +hold all the ground he had taken for the following +reason. In the spring, as the soft warm weather came, +and the sun began to shine, and the rain to fall, and +the brook to sing more sweetly, and the wind to breathe +gently with delicious perfume, and the green leaves to +come forth, the barbarians began to feel the influence +of love.</p> + +<p>"They could no longer endure to fly in the dense +column, they no longer obeyed the voice of their +captain. They fell in love, and each marrying set +about to build a nest, free and unmolested in those +trees that Choo Hoo had promised them. Choo Hoo +himself retired with his lovely bride to the ancestral +ash, and passed the summer in happy dalliance. With +the autumn the campaign recommenced, and with +exactly the same result. After a second autumn and +winter of fighting, Choo Hoo had pushed his frontier +another fifteen miles farther into Kapchack's kingdom. +Another summer of love followed, and so it went on +year after year, Choo Hoo's forces meantime continually +increasing in numbers, since there were now no restrictions +as to nest trees, but one and all could +marry.</p> + +<p>"Till at last he has under his sway a horde of +trained warriors, whose numbers defy calculation, and +he has year by year pushed into Kapchack's territory +till now it seems as if he must utterly overwhelm and +destroy that monarch. This he would doubtless have +achieved ere now, but there is one difficulty which has +considerably impeded his advance, as he came farther +and farther from his native province. This difficulty is +water.</p> + +<p>"For in the winter, when the Long Pond is frozen, +and the brook nearly covered with ice, and all the +ponds and ditches likewise, so vast a horde cannot find +enough to satisfy their thirst, and must consequently +disperse. Were it not for this Choo Hoo must ere now +have overwhelmed us. As it is, Kapchack shivers in +his claws, and we all dread the approaching autumn, +for Choo Hoo has now approached so near as to be at +our very doors. If he only knew one thing he would +have no difficulty in remaining here and utterly destroying +us."</p> + +<p>"What is that?" said Bevis.</p> + +<p>"Will you promise faithfully not to tell any one?" +said the squirrel, "for my own existence depends upon +this horde of barbarians being kept at bay; for, you see, +should they pass over they will devour everything in +the land, and there will certainly be a famine—the +most dreadful that has ever been seen."</p> + +<p>"I will promise," said Bevis. "I promise you +faithfully."</p> + +<p>"Then I will tell you," went on the squirrel. "In +this copse of mine there is a spring of the clearest +and sweetest water (you shall see it, I will take you +to it some day) which is a great secret, for it is so +hidden by ferns and fir-trees overhanging it, that no +one knows anything about it, except Kapchack, myself, +the weasel, and the fox; I wish the weasel did not +know, for he is so gluttonous for blood, which makes +him thirsty, that he is continually dipping his murderous +snout into the delicious water.</p> + +<p>"Now this spring, being so warm in the fern, and +coming out of ground which is, in a manner, warm +too, of all the springs in this province does not freeze, +but always runs clear all the winter. If Choo Hoo only +knew it, don't you see, he could stay in Kapchack's +country, no matter how hard the frost, and his enormous +army, whose main object is plunder, would soon +starve us altogether. But he does not know of it.</p> + +<p>"He has sent several of his spies, the wood-cocks, +to search the country for such a spring, but although +they are the most cunning of birds at that trick, they +have not yet succeeded in finding my spring and thrusting +their long bills into it. They dare not come openly, +but fly by night, for Kapchack's hawks are always +hovering about; well enough he knows the importance +of this secret, and they would pay for their temerity +with their lives if they were seen. All I am afraid of +is lest the weasel or the fox, in their eagerness for +empire, should betray the secret to Choo Hoo.</p> + +<p>"The fox, though full of duplicity, and not to be +depended upon, is at least brave and bold, and so far as +I can judge his character would not, for his own sake +(hoping some day to regain the kingdom), let out this +secret. But of the weasel I am not so sure; he is so +very wicked, and so cunning, no one can tell what he +may do. Thus it is that in the highest of my beech +trees I do not feel secure, but am in continual fear lest +a wood-cock should steal in, or the weasel play the +traitor, for if so a famine is imminent, and that is why +I support, so far as I can without meddling with politics, +the throne of Kapchack, as the last barrier against this +terrible fate.</p> + +<p>"Even now could he but be brought to reform his +present life something might be hoped for, for he has a +powerful army; but, as you have seen, this affair with +the jay has caused ambitious ideas to spring up in the +minds of his chief courtiers, some of whom (especially, +I think, the crow and the weasel) are capable of destroying +a country for their private and personal advantage. +Therefore it is that I look forward to this +council, now about to be held, with intense anxiety, +for upon it will depend our future, the throne of +Kapchack, our existence or destruction. And here +comes the rook; the first as usual."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX"></a>CHAPTER IX.</h2> + +<h3>THE COUNCIL.</h3> + + +<p>Before Bevis could ask any questions, the squirrel +went off to speak to the rook, and to show him a good +bough to perch on near the owl's castle. He then +came back and conducted Bevis to the seat in the ash-stole, +where he was hidden by the honeysuckle, but +could see well about him. Hardly had Bevis comfortably +seated himself than the councillors began to arrive. +They were all there; even the rat did not dare stay +away, lest his loyalty should be suspected, but took up +his station at the foot of the pollard-tree, and the +mouse sat beside him. The rook sat on the oak, no +great way from the squirrel; Kauc, the crow, chose a +branch of ash which projected close to the pollard. So +envious was he of the crown that he could not stay far +from it.</p> + +<p>Cloctaw, the jackdaw, who had flown to the council +with him, upon arrival, left his side, and perched rather +in the rear. Reynard, the fox, and Sec, the stoat, his +friend, waited the approach of the king by some fern +near the foot of the pollard. The owl every now and +then appeared at the window of his castle, sometimes +to see who had arrived, and sometimes to look for the +king, who was not yet in sight. Having glanced round, +the owl retreated to his study, doubtless to prepare his +speech for this important occasion. The heaving up of +the leaves and earth, as if an underground plough was +at work, showed that the mole had not forgotten his +duty; he had come to show his loyalty, and he brought +a message from the badger, who had long since been +left outside the concert of the animals and birds, +humbly begging King Kapchack to accept his homage.</p> + +<p>It is true that neither the hare nor the rabbit were +present, but that signified nothing, for they had no +influence whatever. But the pheasant, who often +stood aloof from the court, in his pride of lineage despising +Kapchack though he was king, came on this +occasion, for he too, like the squirrel, was alarmed at +the progress of Choo Hoo, and dreaded a scarcity of +the berries of the earth. Tchink, the chaffinch, one of +the first to come, could not perch still, but restlessly +passed round the circle, now talking to one and now to +another, and sometimes peering in at the owl's window. +But merry as he was, he turned his back upon Te-te, +the tomtit, and chief of the spies, disdaining the acquaintance +of a common informer. Te-te, not one +whit abashed, sat on a willow, and lifted his voice from +time to time.</p> + +<p>The jay came presently, and for some reason or +other he was in high good spirits, and dressed in his +gayest feathers. He chaffed the owl, and joked with +Tchink; then he laughed to himself, and tried to upset +the grave old Cloctaw from his seat, and, in short, played +all sorts of pranks to the astonishment of everybody, +who had hitherto seen him in such distress for the loss +of his lady-love. Everybody thought he had lost his +senses. Eric, the favourite missel-thrush (not the conspirator), +took his station very high up on the ash above +Kauc, whom he hated and suspected of treason, not +hesitating even to say so aloud. Kauc, indeed, was +not now quite comfortable in his position, but kept slyly +glancing up at the missel-thrush, and would have gone +elsewhere had it not been that everybody was looking.</p> + +<p>The wood-pigeon came to the hawthorn, some little +way from the castle; he represented, and was the chief +of those pigeons who dwelt peacefully in Kapchack's +kingdom, although aliens by race. His position was +difficult in the extreme, for upon the one hand he knew +full well that Kapchack was suspicious of him lest he +should go over to Choo Hoo, and might at any moment +order his destruction, and upon the other hand he had +several messages from Choo Hoo calling upon him +to join his brethren, the invaders, on pain of severe +punishment. Uncertain as to his fate, the wood-pigeon +perched on the hawthorn at the skirt of the council +place, hoping from thence to get some start if obliged +to flee for his life. The dove, his friend, constant in +misfortune, sat near him to keep him in countenance.</p> + +<p>The humble-bee, the bee, the butterfly, the cricket, +the grasshopper, the beetle, and many others arrived +as the hour drew on. Last of all came Ki Ki, lord of +all the hawks, attended with his retinue, and heralding the +approach of the king. Ki Ki perched on a tree at the +side of the pollard, and his warriors ranged themselves +around him: a terrible show, at which the mouse verily +shrank into the ground. Immediately afterwards a +noise of wings and talking announced the arrival of +Kapchack, who came in full state, with eight of his +finest guards. The king perched on the top of the +pollard, just over the owl's window, and the eight +magpies sat above and around, but always behind +him.</p> + +<p>"What an ugly old fellow he is!" whispered Bevis, +who had never before seen him. "Look at his ragged +tail!"</p> + +<p>"Hush!" said the squirrel, "Te-te is too near."</p> + +<p>"Are they all here?" asked the king, after he had +looked round and received the bows and lowly obeisance +of his subjects.</p> + +<p>"They are all here," said the owl, sitting in his +porch. "They are all here—at least, I think; no, they +are not, your majesty."</p> + +<p>"Who is absent?" said Kapchack, frowning, and +all the assembly cowered.</p> + +<p>"It is the weasel," said the owl. "The weasel +is not here."</p> + +<p>Kapchack frowned and looked as black as thunder, +and a dead silence fell upon the council.</p> + +<p>"If it please your majesty," said the humble-bee, +presently coming to the front. "If it please your +majesty, the weasel——"</p> + +<p>"It does <i>not</i> please me," said Kapchack.</p> + +<p>But the humble-bee began again: "If it please your +majesty——"</p> + +<p>"His majesty is <i>not</i> pleased," repeated the owl, +severely.</p> + +<p>But the humble-bee, who could sing but one tune, +began again: "If it please your majesty, the weasel +asked me to say——"</p> + +<p>"What?" said the king, in a terrible rage. "What +did he say?"</p> + +<p>"If it please your majesty," said the humble-bee, +who must begin over again every time he was interrupted, +"the weasel asked me to say that he sent his +humble, his most humble, loyal, and devoted obedience, +and begged that you would forgive his absence from the +council, as he has just met with a severe accident in the +hunting-field, and cannot put one paw before the other."</p> + +<p>"I do not believe it," said King Kapchack. "Where +is he?"</p> + +<p>"If it please your majesty," said the humble-bee, +"he is lying on a bank beyond the copse, stretched out +in the sunshine, licking his paw, and hoping that rest +and sunshine will cure him."</p> + +<p>"Oh, what a story!" said Bevis.</p> + +<p>"Hush," said the squirrel.</p> + +<p>"Somebody said it was a story," said the owl.</p> + +<p>"So it is," said Te-te. "I have made it my business +to search out the goings-on of the weasel, who +has kept himself in the background of late, suspecting +that he was up to no good, and with the aid of my +lieutenant, the tree-climber, I have succeeded in discovering +his retreat, which he has concealed even from +your majesty."</p> + +<p>"Where is it?" said Kapchack.</p> + +<p>"It is in the elm, just there," said Te-te, "just by +those raspberries."</p> + +<p>"The rascal," said the owl, in a great fright. +"Then he has been close by all the time listening."</p> + +<p>"Yes, he has been listening," said Te-te, meaningly.</p> + +<p>The owl became pale, remembering the secret +meeting of the birds, and what was said there, all of +which the treacherous weasel must have overheard. +He passed it off by exclaiming: "This is really intolerable".</p> + +<p>"It <i>is</i> intolerable," said Kapchack; "and you," +addressing the humble-bee, "wretch that you are to +bring me a false message——"</p> + +<p>"If it please your majesty," began the humble-bee, +but he was seized upon by the bee (who was always +jealous of him), and the butterfly, and the beetle, and +hustled away from the precinct of the council.</p> + +<p>"Bring the weasel here, this instant," shouted +Kapchack. "Drag him here by the ears."</p> + +<p>Everybody stood up, but everybody hesitated, for +though they all hated the weasel they all feared him. +Ki Ki, the hawk, bold as he was, could not do much +in the bushes, nor enter a hole; Kauc, the crow, was +in the like fix, and he intended if he was called upon to +take refuge in the pretence of his age; the stoat, fierce +as he was, shrank from facing the weasel, being afraid +of his relation's tricks and stratagems. Even the fox, +though he was the biggest of all, hesitated, for he +recollected once when Pan, the spaniel, snapped at +the weasel, the weasel made his teeth meet in Pan's +nostrils.</p> + +<p>Thus they all hesitated, when the rat suddenly +stood out and said: "I will fetch the weasel, your +majesty; I will bring that hateful traitor to your feet".</p> + +<p>"Do so, good and loyal rat," said the king, well +pleased. And the rat ran off to compel the weasel to +come.</p> + +<p>As the elm was so close, they all looked that way, +expecting to hear sounds of fighting; but in less than +half-a-minute the rat appeared, with the weasel limping +on three legs in his rear. For when the weasel +heard what the rat said, he knew it was of no use to +stay away any longer; but in his heart he vowed that +he would, sooner or later, make the rat smart for his +officious interference.</p> + +<p>When he came near, the weasel fell down and +bowed himself before the king, who said nothing, but +eyed him scornfully.</p> + +<p>"I am guilty," said the weasel, in a very humble +voice; "I am guilty of disobedience to your majesty's +commands, and I am guilty of sending you a deceitful +message, for which my poor friend the humble-bee has +been cruelly hustled from your presence; but I am not +guilty of the treason of which I am accused. I hid in +the elm, your majesty, because I went in terror of my +life, and I feigned to be ill, in order to stay away from +the council, because there is not one of all these (he +pointed to the circle of councillors) who has not sworn +to destroy me, and I feared to venture forth. They +have all banded together to compass my destruction, +because I alone of all of them have remained faithful to +your throne, and have not secretly conspired."</p> + +<p>At these words, there was such an outcry on the +part of all the birds and animals, that the wood echoed +with their cries; for the stoat snapped his teeth, and +the fox snarled, and the jay screamed, and the hawk +napped his wings, and the crow said "Caw!" and the +rook "Haw!" and all so eagerly denied the imputation, +that it was some minutes before even King Kapchack +could make himself heard.</p> + +<p>When the noise in some degree subsided, however, +he said: "Weasel, you are so false of tongue, and you +have so many shifts and contrivances ('That he has!' +said Bevis, who was delighted at the downfall of the +weasel), that it is no longer possible for any of us to +believe anything you say. We have now such important +business before us, that we cannot stop to proceed +to your trial and execution, and we therefore order that +in the meantime you remain where you are, and that +you maintain complete silence—for you are degraded +from your rank—until such time as we can attend to +your contemptible body, which will shortly dangle from +a tree, as a warning to traitors for all time to come. +My lords, we will now proceed with our business, and, +first of all, the secretary will read the roll-call of our +forces."</p> + +<p>The owl then read the list of the army, and said: +"First, your majesty's devoted body-guard, with—with +Prince Tchack-tchack (the king frowned, and the jay +laughed outright) at their head; Ki Ki, lord of hawks, +one thousand beaks; the rooks, five thousand beaks; +Kauc, the crow, two hundred beaks;" and so on, +enumerating the numbers which all the tribes could +bring to battle.</p> + +<p>In the buzz of conversation that arose while the +owl was reading (as it usually does), the squirrel told +Bevis that he believed the crow had not returned the +number of his warriors correctly, but that there were +really many more, whom he purposely kept in the +background. As for Prince Tchack-tchack, his absence +from the council evidently disturbed his majesty, +though he was too proud to show how he felt the +defection of his eldest son and heir.</p> + +<p>The number of the rooks, too, was not accurate, +and did not give a true idea of their power, for it was +the original estimate furnished many years ago, when +Kapchack first organised his army, and although the +rooks had greatly increased since then, the same return +was always made. But it was well understood that the +nation of the rooks could send, and doubtless would +send, quite ten thousand beaks into the field.</p> + +<p>"It is not a little curious," said the squirrel, "that +the rooks, who, as you know, belong to a limited monarchy—so +limited that they have no real king—should +form the main support of so despotic a monarch as +Kapchack, who obtains even more decisive assistance +from them than from the ferocious and wily Ki Ki. It +is an illustration of the singular complexity and paradoxical +positions of politics that those who are naturally +so opposed, should thus form the closest friends and +allies. I do not understand why it is so myself, for as +you know, dear, I do not attempt to meddle with +politics, but the owl has several times very learnedly +discoursed to me upon this subject, and I gather from +him that one principal reason why the rooks support +the tyrant Kapchack, is because they well know if he is +not king some one else will be. Now Kapchack, in +return for their valuable services, has, for one thing, +ordered Ki Ki on no account to interfere with them +(which is the reason they have become so populous), +and under the nominal rule of Kapchack they really +enjoy greater liberty than they otherwise could.</p> + +<p>"But the beginning of the alliance, it seems, was +in this way. Many years ago, when Kapchack was a +young monarch, and by no means firmly established +upon his throne, he sought about for some means of +gaining the assistance of the rooks. He observed that +in the spring, when the rooks repaired their dwellings, +they did so in a very inferior manner, doing indeed +just as their forefathers had done before them, and +repeating the traditional architecture handed down +through innumerable generations. So ill-constructed +were their buildings, that if, as often chanced, the +March winds blew with fury, it was a common thing +to see the grass strewn with the wreck of their houses. +Now Kapchack and all his race are excellent architects, +and it occurred to him to do the rooks a service, +by instructing them how to bind their lower courses, +so that they should withstand the wind.</p> + +<p>"With some difficulty, for the older rooks, though +they would loudly deny it, are eminently conservative +(a thing I do not profess to understand), he succeeded +in persuading the younger builders to adopt his design; +and the result was that in the end they all took to it, +and now it is quite the exception to hear of an accident. +Besides the preservation of life, Kapchack's invention +also saved them an immense amount in timber for rebuilding. +The consequence has been that the rooks +have flourished above all other birds. They at once +concluded an alliance with Kapchack, and as they +increased in numbers, so they became more firmly +attached to his throne.</p> + +<p>"It is not that they feel any gratitude—far from +it, they are a selfish race—but they are very keen after +their own interest, which is, perhaps, the strongest tie. +For, as I observed, the rooks live under a limited +monarchy; they had real kings of their own centuries +since, but now their own king is only a name, a state +fiction. Every single rook has a voice in the affairs of +the nation (hence the tremendous clamour you may +hear in their woods towards sunset when their assemblies +are held), but the practical direction of their +policy is entrusted to a circle or council of about ten of +the older rooks, distinguished for their oratorical powers. +These depute, again, one of their own number to Kapchack's +court; you see him yonder, his name is Kauhaha. +The council considers, I have no doubt, that by +supporting Kapchack they retain their supremacy, for +very likely if they did not have a foreigner to reign over +them, some clever genius of their own race would arise +and overturn these mighty talkers.</p> + +<p>"On the other hand Kapchack fully appreciates +their services, and if he dared he would give the chief +command of his forces to the generalissimo of the rooks—not +the one who sits yonder—the commander's name +is Ah Kurroo. But he dreads the jealousy of Ki Ki, +who is extremely off-handed and high in his ways, and +might go off with his contingent. I am curious to see +who will have the command. As for the starlings, I +daresay you will notice their absence; they are under +the jurisdiction of the rooks, and loyal as their masters; +the reason they are not here is because they are already +mobilised and have taken the field; they were despatched +in all haste very early this morning, before +you were awake, Bevis dear, to occupy the slope from +whence the peewits fled. Now they are discussing the +doubtful allies."</p> + +<p>"The larks," the owl was saying as the squirrel +finished, "have sent a message which I consider extremely +impertinent. They have dared to say that +they have nothing whatever to do with the approaching +contest, and decline to join either party. They +say that from time immemorial they have been free +mountaineers, owing allegiance to no one, and if +they have attended your court it has been from +courtesy, and not from any necessity that they were +under."</p> + +<p>"They are despicable creatures," said the king, +who was secretly annoyed, but would not show it. +"Ki Ki, I deliver them over to you; let your men +plunder them as they like."</p> + +<p>"The finches," went on the owl. "I hardly +know——"</p> + +<p>"We are loyal to the last feather," said Tchink, the +chaffinch, bold as brass, and coming to the front, to +save his friends from the fate of the larks. "Your +majesty, we are perfectly loyal—why, our troops, whom +you know are only lightly armed, have already gone +forward, and have occupied the furze on the summits +of the hills."</p> + +<p>"I am much pleased," said the king, who had been +a little doubtful. "Tell your friends to continue in +that spirit."</p> + +<p>"With all my heart," said Tchink, laughing in Ki +Ki's face; he actually flew close by the terrible hawk, +and made a face at him, for he knew that he was +disappointed, having hoped for permission to tear and +rend the finches as the larks.</p> + +<p>"The thrushes," began the owl again.</p> + +<p>"Pooh," said the king, "they are feeble things; we +can easily keep the whole nation of them in subjection +by knocking out some of their brains now and then, +can't we, Ki Ki?"</p> + +<p>"It is a capital way," said Ki Ki. "There is no +better."</p> + +<p>"They are fit for nothing but ambassadors and +couriers," said Kapchack. "We will not waste any +more time over such folk whose opinions are nothing +to us. Now I call upon you all to express your views +as to the best means of conducting the campaign, and +what measures had better be taken for the defence of +our dominions. Ki Ki, speak first."</p> + +<p>"I am for immediate action," said Ki Ki. "Let us +advance and attack at once, for every day swells the +ranks of Choo Hoo's army, and should there be early +frosts it would be so largely increased that the mere +numbers must push us back. Besides which in a short +time he will receive large reinforcements, for his allies, +the fieldfares and redwings, are preparing to set sail +across the sea hither. But now, before his host +becomes irresistible, is our opportunity; I counsel +instant attack. War to the beak is my motto!"</p> + +<p>"War to the beak," said the crow.</p> + +<p>"War to the beak," said the jay, carefully adjusting +his brightest feathers, "and our ladies will view our +deeds."</p> + +<p>"I agree," said the rook, "with what Ki Ki says." +The rook was not so noisy and impetuous as the +hawk, but he was even more warlike, and by far the +better statesman. "I think," Kauhaha went on, "that +we should not delay one hour, but advance and occupy +the plain where Choo Hoo is already diminishing our +supplies of food. If our supplies are consumed or cut +off our condition will become critical."</p> + +<p>"Hear, hear," said everybody except the crow, who +hated the rook. "Hear! hear! the rook speaks well."</p> + +<p>"All are then for immediately advancing?" said +Kapchack, much pleased.</p> + +<p>"May it please your majesty," said the fox, thus +humbling himself, he who was the descendant of kings, +"may it please your majesty, I am not certain that the +proposed course is the wisest. For, if I may be permitted +to say so, it appears to me that the facts are +exactly opposite to what Ki Ki and the rook have put +forward as the reason for battle. My experience convinces +me that the very vastness of Choo Hoo's host +is really its weakness. The larger his numbers the less +he can effect. It is clear that they must soon, if they +continue to draw together in these enormous bodies, +destroy all the forage of the country, and unless they +are prepared to die of starvation they must perforce +retire.</p> + +<p>"If, therefore, your majesty could be prevailed upon +to listen to my counsels, I would the rather suggest, +most humbly suggest, that the defensive is your best +course. Here in the copse you have an enclosure +capable with a little trouble of being converted into an +impregnable fortress. Already the ditches are deep, +the curtain wall of hawthorn high and impenetrable, +the approaches narrow. By retiring hither with your +forces, occupying every twig, and opposing a beak in +every direction, you would be absolutely safe, and it is +easy to foresee what would happen.</p> + +<p>"Choo Hoo, boastful and vainglorious, would approach +with his enormous horde; he would taunt us, no +doubt, with his absurd 'Koos-takke,' which I verily +believe has no meaning at all, and of which we need +take no heed. In a few days, having exhausted the +supplies, he would have to retire, and then sallying +forth we could fall upon his rear and utterly destroy his +unwieldy army."</p> + +<p>This advice made some impression upon Kapchack, +notwithstanding that he was much prejudiced against +the fox, for it was evidently founded upon facts, and +the fox was known to have had great experience. +Kapchack appeared thoughtful, and leaning his head +upon one side was silent, when Kauc, the crow (who +had his own reasons for wishing Kapchack to run as +much risk as possible), cried out that the fox was a +coward, and wanted to sneak into a hole. Ki Ki +shouted applaudingly; the rook said he for one could +not shut himself up while the country was ravaged; +and the jay said the ladies would despise them. Kapchack +remembered that the fox had always had a +character for duplicity, and perhaps had some secret +motive for his advice, and just then, in the midst of the +uproar, a starling flew into the circle with part of his +tail gone and his feathers greatly ruffled.</p> + +<p>It was evident that he had brought news from +the seat of war, and they all crowded about him. So +soon as he had recovered breath the starling told them +that half-an-hour since Choo Hoo had himself crossed +the border, and driving in the outposts of the starlings, +despite the most desperate resistance, had passed the +front line of the hills. At this news the uproar was +tremendous, and for some time not a word could be +heard. By-and-by the owl obtained something like +order, when the rook said he for one could not stay +in council any longer, he must proceed to assemble the +forces of his nation, as while they were talking his city +might be seized. Ki Ki, too, flapping his wings, announced +his intention of attacking; the jay uttered a +sneer about one-eyed people not being able to see what +was straight before them, and thus goaded on against +his better judgment, Kapchack declared his intention +of sending his army to the front.</p> + +<p>He then proceeded to distribute the commands. +Ki Ki was proclaimed commander-in-chief (the rook +did not like this, but he said nothing, as he knew Kapchack +could not help himself), and the rooks had the +right wing, the crow the left wing (the crow was +surprised at this, for his usual post was to guard the +rear, but he guessed at once that Kapchack suspected +him, and would not leave him near the palace), and +the owl had the reserve. As they received their orders, +each flew off; even the owl, though it was daylight, +started forth to summon his men, and though he +blundered against the branches, did not stay a second +on that account. The squirrel had charge of the stores, +and jumped down to see after them. Not one was forgotten, +but each had an office assigned, and went to +execute it, all except the fox and the weasel. The +weasel, obedient to orders, lay still at the foot of the +pollard, humbly hiding his head.</p> + +<p>The fox, presently finding that he had been overlooked, +crept under Kapchack, and, bowing to the earth, +asked if there was no command and no employment for +him.</p> + +<p>"Begone," said Kapchack, who was not going to +entrust power to one of royal descent. "Begone, sir; +you have not shown any ability lately."</p> + +<p>"But did not the gnat tell you?" began the fox, +humbly.</p> + +<p>"The gnat told me a great deal," said Kapchack.</p> + +<p>"But did he not say I sent him?"</p> + +<p>"No, indeed," said Kapchack, for the gnat, not to be +outdone, had indeed delivered the fox's message, but had +taken the credit of it for himself. "Begone, sir (the fox +slunk away); and do you (to his guards) go to the firs and +wait for me there." The eight magpies immediately departed, +and there was no one left but the weasel.</p> + +<p>The king looked down at the guilty traitor; the +traitor hung his head. Presently the king said: +"Weasel, false and double-tongued weasel, did I not +choose you to be my chiefest and most secret counsellor? +Did you not know everything? Did I not consult you +on every occasion, and were you not promoted to high +honour and dignity? And you have repaid me by +plotting against my throne, and against my life; the +gnat has told me everything, and it is of no avail for +you to deny it. You double traitor, false to me and +false to those other traitors who met in this very place +to conspire against me. It is true you were not among +them in person, but why were you not among them? +Do you suppose that I am to be deceived for a moment? +Wretch that you are. You set them on to plot against +me while you kept out of it with clean paws, that you +might seize the throne so soon as I was slain. Wretch +that you are."</p> + +<p>Here the weasel could not endure it any longer, +but crawling to the foot of the tree, besought the king +with tears in his eyes to do what he would—to order +him to instant execution, but not to reproach him with +these enormities, which cut him to the very soul. But +the more he pleaded, the more angry Kapchack became, +and heaped such epithets upon the crouching wretch, +and so bitterly upbraided him that at last the weasel +could bear it no more, but driven as it were into a +corner, turned to bay, and faced the enraged monarch.</p> + +<p>He sat up, and looking Kapchack straight in the +face, as none but so hardened a reprobate could have +done, he said, in a low but very distinct voice: "You +have no right to say these things to me, any more than +you have to wear the crown! I do not believe you are +Kapchack at all—you are an impostor!"</p> + +<p>At these words Kapchack became as pale as death, +and could not keep his perch upon the pollard, but +fluttered down to the ground beside the weasel. He +was so overcome that for a moment or two he could +not speak. When he found breath, he turned to the +weasel and asked him what he meant. The weasel, +who had now regained his spirits, said boldly enough +that he meant what he said; he did not believe that +the king was really Kapchack.</p> + +<p>"But I am Kapchack," said the king, trembling, +and not knowing how much the weasel knew.</p> + +<p>In truth the weasel knew very little, but had only +shot a bolt at random from the bow of his suspicions, +but he had still a sharper shaft to shoot, and he said: +"You are an impostor, for you told La Schach, who +has jilted you, that you were not so old as you looked."</p> + +<p>"The false creature!" said Kapchack, quite beside +himself with rage. In his jealousy of Prince Tchack-tchack, +who was so much younger, and had two eyes, +he had said this, and now he bitterly repented his +vanity. "The false creature!" he screamed, "where +is she? I will have her torn to pieces! She shall be +pecked limb from limb! Where is she?" he shrieked. +"She left the palace yesterday evening, and I have not +seen her since."</p> + +<p>"She went to the firs with the jay," said the +weasel. "He is her old lover, you know. Did you +not see how merry he was just now, at the council?"</p> + +<p>Then Kapchack pecked up the ground with his +beak, and tore at it with his claws, and gave way to +his impotent anger.</p> + +<p>"There shall not be a feather of her left!" he said. +"I will have her utterly destroyed! She shall be nailed +to a tree!"</p> + +<p>"Nothing of the kind," said the weasel, with a +sneer. "She is too beautiful. As soon as you see +her, you will kiss her and forgive her."</p> + +<p>"It is true," said Kapchack, becoming calmer. +"She is so beautiful, she must be forgiven. Weasel, +in consideration of important services rendered to the +state in former days, upon this one occasion you shall +be pardoned. Of course the condition is that what +has passed between us this day is kept strictly private, +and that you do not breathe a word of it."</p> + +<p>"Not a word of it," said the weasel.</p> + +<p>"And you must disabuse your mind of that extraordinary +illusion as to my identity of which you spoke +just now. You must dismiss so absurd an idea from +your mind."</p> + +<p>"Certainly," said the weasel, "it is dismissed +entirely. But, your majesty, with your permission, +I would go further. I would endeavour to explain to +you, that although my conduct was indiscreet, and so +far open to misconstruction, there was really nothing +more in it than an ill-directed zeal in your service. It +is really true, your majesty, that all the birds and +animals are leagued against me, and that is why I have +been afraid to stir abroad. I was invited to the secret +council, of which you have heard from the gnat, and +because I did not attend it, they have one and all +agreed to vilify me to your majesty.</p> + +<p>"But in fact I, for once, with the service of your +majesty in view, descended (repugnant as it was to my +feelings) to play the eavesdropper, and I overheard all +that was said, and I can convince your majesty that +there are far greater traitors in your dominions than +you ever supposed me to be. The gnat does not know +half that took place at the council, for he only had it +second-hand from that villain, the fox, who is, I +believe, secretly bent on your destruction. But I can +tell you not only all that went on—I can also relate to +you the designs of Kauc, the crow, who conferred with +Cloctaw in private, after the meeting was over. And +I can also give you good reasons for suspecting Ki Ki, +the hawk, whom you have just nominated to the command +of your forces, of the intention of making a bargain +with Choo Hoo, and of handing you over to him +a prisoner."</p> + +<p>Now this last was a pure invention of the weasel's +out of envy, since Ki Ki had obtained such distinction. +Kapchack, much alarmed at these words, ordered him +to relate everything in order, and the weasel told him +all that had been said at the council, all that Kauc, the +crow, had said to Cloctaw, and a hundred other matters +which he made up himself. When Kapchack heard +these things he was quite confounded, and exclaimed +that he was surrounded with traitors, and that he did +not see which way to turn. He hopped a little way off, +in order the better to consider by himself, and leant +his head upon one side.</p> + +<p>First he thought to himself: "I must take the +command from Ki Ki, but I cannot do that suddenly, +lest he should go over to Choo Hoo. I will therefore +do it gradually. I will countermand the order for an +immediate attack; that will give me time to arrange. +Who is to take Ki Ki's place? Clearly the weasel, for +though he is an archtraitor, yet he is in the same boat +with me; for I know it to be perfectly true that all of +them are bitter against him."</p> + +<p>So he went back to the weasel, and told him that +he should give him the chief command of the forces, on +the third day following, and meantime told him to +come early in the evening to the drain which passed +under the orchard, where his palace was, so that he +could concert the details of this great state business in +secret with him.</p> + +<p>The weasel, beyond measure delighted at the turn +things had taken, and rejoicing extremely at the impending +fall of Ki Ki, whom he hated, thanked Kapchack +with all his might, till Kapchack, enjoining on +him the necessity of secrecy, said "Good-afternoon"; +and flew away towards the firs, where his guard was +waiting for him. Then the weasel, puffed up and +treading the ground proudly, went back to his cave in +the elm, and Bevis, seeing that there was nothing more +going on that day, stole back to the raspberry canes.</p> + +<p>None of them had noticed, not even the cunning +weasel, that the mole, when the council broke up, had +not left with the rest: indeed, being under the surface +of the earth, they easily overlooked him. Now the +mole, who hated the weasel beyond all, had waited to +have the pleasure of hearing King Kapchack upbraid +the traitor, and presently consign him to execution. +Fancy then his feelings when, after all, the weasel was +received into the highest favour, and promised the +supreme command of the army, while he himself was +not even noticed, though he was a clever engineer, +and could mine and countermine, and carry on siege +operations better than any of them.</p> + +<p>He listened to all that was said attentively, and +then, so soon as Kapchack had flown away, and the +weasel had gone to his hole, and Bevis to the raspberries, +he drove a tunnel to the edge of the copse, and +there calling a fly, sent him with a message to the +hawk, asking Ki Ki to meet him beside the leaning +stone in the field (which Bevis had once passed), +because he had a secret to communicate which would +brook no delay. At the same time, as Kapchack was +flying to the firs where his guards were waiting, it +occurred to him that, although he had no alternative, +it was dangerous in the extreme to trust the army to +the weasel, who, perhaps, just as there was an opportunity +of victory, would retire, and leave him to be +destroyed. Thinking about this, he perched on a low +hawthorn bush, and asked himself whether it was +worth while to attempt to defend a kingdom held +under such precarious tenure. Would it not be better +to make terms with Choo Hoo, who was not unreasonable, +and to divide the territory, and thus reign in +peace and safety over half at least,—making it, of +course, a condition of the compact that Choo Hoo +should help him to put down all domestic traitors?</p> + +<p>The idea seemed so good that, first glancing round +to see that he was not observed, he called a thrush, +who had been coming to the hawthorn, but dared not +enter it while the king was there. The thrush, much +frightened, came as he was bid, and Kapchack carefully +instructed him in what he was to do. Having learnt +his message by heart, the thrush, delighted beyond +expression at so high a negotiation being entrusted to +him, flew straight away towards Choo Hoo's camp. +But not unobserved; for just then Ki Ki, wheeling in +the air at an immense height, whither he had gone to +survey the scene of war, chanced to look down and saw +him quit the king, and marked the course he took. +Kapchack, unaware that Ki Ki had detected this +manœuvre, now returned to his guards, and flew to his +palace.</p> + +<p>Meantime the weasel, curled up on his divan in the +elm, was thinking over the extraordinary good fortune +that had befallen him. Yet such was his sagacity that +even when thus about to attain almost the topmost +pinnacle of his ambition, he did not forget the instability +of affairs, but sought to confirm his position, or even +to advance it. He reflected that Kapchack was not +only cunning beyond everything ever known, but he +was just now a prey to anxieties, and consumed with +jealousy, which upset the tenor of his mind, so that +his course could not be depended upon, but might be +changed in a moment. The favour of a despotic monarch +was never a firm staff to lean upon; when that monarch +was on the brink of a crisis which threatened both +his throne and his life, his smile might become a frown +before any one was aware that a change was impending.</p> + +<p>Impressed with these ideas, the weasel asked himself +how he could at once secure his position and +advance himself to further dignity. He considered +that up to the present the forces of Kapchack had +always been compelled to retreat before the overwhelming +masses thrown against them by Choo Hoo. He +could scarcely hope under the most favourable circumstances +to do more than defend the frontier, and should +Choo Hoo win the battle, Kapchack would either be +taken prisoner, or, what was not at all unlikely, fall a +victim during the confusion, and be assassinated, perhaps, +by the villainous crow. Where, then, would be his +own high command? But by making terms with Choo +Hoo he might himself obtain the throne, and reign +perfectly secure as Choo Hoo's regent.</p> + +<p>On coming to this conclusion, he called to his old +friend the humble-bee, and said he desired to send a +message to Choo Hoo, the purport of which must not +be divulged to any flower upon the route. The humble-bee +instantly guessed that this message must be something +to the injury of Kapchack, and resenting the +manner in which he had been hustled from the council, +declared that he would carry it without a moment's +delay.</p> + +<p>"Go then, my friend," said the weasel. "Go +straight to Choo Hoo, and say: 'The weasel is appointed +to the command of King Kapchack's army, and +will supersede Ki Ki, the hawk, upon the third day. +On that day he will lead forth the army to the south, +professing to go upon a flank march, and to take you in +the rear. Be not deceived by this movement, but so +soon as you see that the guards are withdrawn from the +frontier, cross the border in force, and proceed straight +towards the palace. When Kapchack's army finds you +between it and its base of supplies it will disperse, and +you will obtain an easy victory.</p> + +<p>"'And in proof of his good-will towards you, the +weasel, furthermore, bade me inform you of the great +secret which has hitherto been preserved with such +care, and which will enable your army to remain in this +place all the winter. In the squirrel's copse there is +a spring, which is never frozen, but always affords +excellent drinking water, and moistens a considerable +extent of ground.'" This was the weasel's message, +and without a moment's delay the humble-bee buzzed +away direct to Choo Hoo's camp.</p> + +<p>At the same time the fly with the mole's message +reached Ki Ki, the hawk, as he was soaring among the +clouds. Ki Ki, having finished his observations, and +full of suspicions as to the object with which the king +had despatched the thrush to Choo Hoo, decided to +keep the mole's appointment at once, so down he flew +direct to the leaning stone in the meadow, where Bevis +had gathered the cowslips, and found the mole already +waiting for him.</p> + +<p>Now, the mole hated Ki Ki exceedingly, because, as +previously related, he had killed his wife, but he hated +the weasel, who had persecuted him all his life, even +more, and by thus betraying the weasel to the hawk +he hoped to set the two traitors by the ears, and to +gratify his own vengeance by seeing them tear each +other to pieces. Accordingly he now informed Ki Ki +of everything—how the weasel had disclosed the names +of all those who attended the secret meeting (except +one, <i>i.e.</i>, the owl, which, for reasons of his own, the +weasel had suppressed), particularly stating that Ki Ki +had taken a foremost part, that Kapchack was enraged +against the hawk, and had already promised the +weasel the chief command, so that in three days Ki Ki +would be superseded.</p> + +<p>Ki Ki, suppressing his agitation, thanked the mole +very cordially for his trouble, and soared towards the +sky, but he had scarce gone a hundred yards before +one of Kapchack's body-guard met him with a message +from the king countermanding the advance of the army +which had been decided upon. Ki Ki replied that his +majesty's orders should be implicitly obeyed and continued +his upward flight. He had now no doubt that +what the mole had told him was correct in every particular, +since it had been so immediately confirmed; and +as for the thrush, it seemed clear that Kapchack had +some design of saving himself by the sacrifice of his +friends. That must be his reasons for countermanding +the advance—to give time for negotiation. Angry beyond +measure, Ki Ki flew to his own clump of trees, +and calling to him a keen young hawk—one of his +guard, and who was only too delighted to be selected +for confidential employment—sent him with a flag of +truce to Choo Hoo.</p> + +<p>He was to say that Ki Ki, being disgusted with the +treachery of King Kapchack, had determined to abandon +his cause, and that on the day of battle, in the +midst of the confusion, if Choo Hoo would push forward +rapidly, Ki Ki would draw off his contingent and +expose the centre, when Kapchack must inevitably be +destroyed. Away flew the hawk, and thus in one hour +Choo Hoo received three messengers.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X"></a>CHAPTER X.</h2> + +<h3>TRAITORS.</h3> + + +<p>The first that arrived was the thrush, hearing the +message from the king. Choo Hoo, delighted beyond +expression at so pleasant a solution of the business, +which he knew must, if it came to battle, entail +great slaughter of his friends, received the thrush with +the highest honours, called his principal counsellors +around him, and acceded to everything King Kapchack +had proposed. The territory should be equally divided: +Choo Hoo to have the plains, and Kapchack the woods +and hills, and peace should be proclaimed, Choo Hoo +engaging to support Kapchack against all domestic +enemies and traitors. This treaty having been completed, +the thrush made as if about to depart, but Choo +Hoo would in no wise permit this. "Remain with +us," he said, "my dear Thrush, till the evening; feast +and make merry."</p> + +<p>So the thrush was surrounded with a guard of +honour, and conducted to the choicest feeding places, +and regaled upon the fat of the land. Thus enjoying +himself, he thought it was the happiest day of his life, +and was not at all desirous of seeing the shadows +lengthen.</p> + +<p>Hardly had the thrush gone with his guard to the +banquet, than the humble-bee was announced, bearing +the message from the weasel. To this the assembled +counsellors listened attentively, but Choo Hoo, being +only a barbarian, could on no account break faith, but +was resolved to carry out his compact with King Kapchack. +Nevertheless, he reflected that the king was +extremely cunning, and not altogether to be relied +upon (the humble-bee, for aught he knew, might have +been in reality sent by Kapchack to try him), and +therefore he would go so far as this, he would encourage +the weasel without committing himself. "Return," +he said to the humble-bee, "return to him who sent +you, and say: 'Do you do your part, and Choo Hoo +will certainly do his part'." With which ambiguous +sentence (which of course the weasel read in his own +sense) he dismissed the humble-bee, who had scarce +departed from the camp, than the flag of truce arrived +from Ki Ki, and the young hawk, bright and defiant in his +bearing, was admitted to the great Emperor Choo Hoo.</p> + +<p>When the council heard his message they all +cried with one accord: "Koos-takke! koos-takke! the +enemy are confounded; they are divided against each +other. They are delivered over to us. Koos-takke!"</p> + +<p>So soon as there was silence, Choo Hoo said:—</p> + +<p>"Young sir, tell your master that we do not need +his assistance," and he waved the messenger to depart.</p> + +<p>But the hawk said: "Mighty emperor, consider +that I am young, and that if I go to my master with so +curt a message, you know that he is fierce beyond +reason, and I shall infallibly be torn to pieces".</p> + +<p>"Very well," said Choo Hoo, speaking in a harsh +tone of voice, for he hated the whole race of hawks, +and could scarce respect the flag of truce, "very well, +tell your master the reason I do not want his assistance +is, first, because Kapchack and I have concluded a +treaty; secondly, because the weasel has been before +him, and has told me where the secret spring is in the +squirrel's copse—the spring that does not freeze in +winter."</p> + +<p>The hawk, not daring to parley further with the +emperor, bowed his way out, and went direct to Ki Ki +with this reply.</p> + +<p>All the council of Choo Hoo rejoiced exceedingly, +both at the treaty which assured so peaceful and +pleasant a conclusion to their arduous labours, and to +a sanguinary war which had lasted so many years, and +in which they had lost so many of their bravest, and +also at the treachery which prevailed in Kapchack's +palace and confounded his efforts. They cried "Koos-takke!" +and the shout was caught up throughout the +camp with such vehemence that the woods echoed to +the mysterious sound.</p> + +<p>Now the young hawk, winging his way swiftly +through the air, soon arrived at the trees where Ki Ki +was waiting for him, and delivered the answer in fear +and trembling, expecting every moment to be dashed +to the ground and despatched. Ki Ki, however, said +nothing, but listened in silence, and then sat a long +time thinking.</p> + +<p>Presently he said: "You have done ill, and have +not given much promise of your future success; you +should not have taken Choo Hoo's answer so quickly. +You should have argued with him, and used your +persuasive powers. Moreover, being thus admitted to +the very presence of our greatest enemy, and standing +face to face with him, and within a few inches of his +breast, you should have known what it was your business +to do. I could not tell you beforehand, because +it would have been against my dignity to seem to +participate before the deed in things of that kind. To +you the opportunity was afforded, but you had not the +ready wit either to see or to seize it.</p> + +<p>"While Choo Hoo was deliberating you should have +flown at his breast, and despatched the archrebel with +one blow of your beak. In the confusion you could +have escaped with ease. Upon such a catastrophe becoming +known, the whole of Choo Hoo's army would +have retreated, and hanging upon their rear we could +have wreaked our wills upon them. As for you, you +would have obtained fame and power; as for me, I +should have retained the chief command; as for Kapchack, +he would have rewarded you with untold wealth. +But you missed—you did not even see—this golden +opportunity, and you will never have another such a +chance."</p> + +<p>At this the young hawk hung his head, and could +have beaten himself to death against the tree, in shame +and sorrow at his folly.</p> + +<p>"But," continued Ki Hi, "as I see you are unfeignedly +sorry, I will even yet entrust you with one +more commission (the hawk began to brighten up a little). +You know that at the end of the Long Pond there is a +very large wood which grows upon a slope; at the foot +of the slope there is an open space or glade, which is a +very convenient spot for an ambush. Now when the +thrush comes home in the evening, bringing the treaty +to Kapchack, he is certain to pass that way, because it +is the nearest, and the most pleasant. Go there and +stay in ambush till you hear him coming, then swoop +down and kill him, and tear his heart from his breast. +Do not fail, or never return to my presence.</p> + +<p>"And stay—you may be sure of the place I mean, +because there is an old oak in the midst of the glade, +it is old and dead, and the route of the thrush will be +under it. Strike him there."</p> + +<p>Without waiting a moment, the hawk, knowing +that his master liked instant obedience, flew off swift +as the wind, determined this time to succeed. He +found the glade without trouble, and noted the old +oak with its dead gaunt boughs, and then took up +his station on an ash, where he watched eagerly for +the shadows to lengthen. Ki Ki, after sitting a little +longer, soared up into the sky to reflect upon further +measures. By destroying the thrush he knew that +the war must continue, for Choo Hoo would never +believe but that it had been done by Kapchack's +order, and could not forgive so brutal an affront to +an ambassador charged with a solemn treaty. Choo +Hoo must then accept his (Ki Ki's) offer; the weasel, +it was true, had been before him, but he should be +able to destroy the weasel's influence by revealing +his treachery to Kapchack, and how he had told +Choo Hoo the secret of the spring which was never +frozen. He felt certain that he should be able to +make his own terms, both with Kapchack and Choo +Hoo.</p> + +<p>Thus soaring up he saw his messenger, the young +hawk, swiftly speeding to the ambush, and smiled +grimly as he noted the eager haste with which the +youthful warrior went to fulfil his orders. Still soaring, +with outstretched wings, he sought the upper +sky.</p> + +<p>Meantime Bevis had grown tired of waiting for the +squirrel, who had gone off to see about the stores, and +flung himself at full length on the moss under the oak. +He hardly stopped there a minute before he got up +again and called and shouted for the squirrel, but no +one answered him; nor did the dragon-fly appear. +Bevis, weary of waiting, determined to try and find +his way home by himself, but when he came to look +round he could not discover the passage through the +thicket. As he was searching for it he passed the elm, +which was hollow inside, where the weasel lay curled +up on his divan, and the weasel, hearing Bevis go by, +was so puffed up with pride that he actually called to +him, having conceived a design of using Bevis for his +own purposes.</p> + +<p>"Sir Bevis! Sir Bevis!" he said, coming to the +mouth of his hole, "Sir Bevis, I want to speak to +you!"</p> + +<p>"You are the weasel," said Bevis, "I know your +hateful voice—I hate you, and if ever I find you outside +the copse I will smash you into twenty pieces. +If it was not for the squirrel, whom I love (and I have +promised not to hurt anything in his copse), I would +bring my papa's hatchet, and chop your tree down and +cut your head off; so there."</p> + +<p>"If you did that," said the weasel, "then you +would not know what the rat is going to do in your +house to-night."</p> + +<p>"Why should I not know?" said Bevis.</p> + +<p>"Because if you cut my head off I could not tell +you."</p> + +<p>"Well, tell me what it is," said Bevis, who was +always very curious, "and make haste about it, for I +want to go home."</p> + +<p>"I will," said the weasel, "and first of all, you +know the fine large cake that your mamma is making +for you?"</p> + +<p>"No," said Bevis, excitedly. "Is she making me a +cake? I did not know it."</p> + +<p>"Yes, that she is, but she did not tell you, because +she wished it to be a surprise to you to-morrow morning +at lunch, and it is no use for you to ask her about +it, for she would not tell you. But if you are not very +sharp it is certain that you will never touch a mouthful +of it."</p> + +<p>"Why not?" said Bevis.</p> + +<p>"Because," said the weasel, "the mouse has +found out where your mamma has put it in the cupboard, +and there is a little chink through which he can +smell it, but he cannot quite get through, nor is he +strong enough to gnaw such very hard wood, else you +may depend he would have kept the secret to himself. +But as he could not creep through he has gone and +told Raoul, the rat, who has such strong teeth he can +bite a way through anything, and to-night, when you +are all in bed and firm asleep, and everything is quiet, +Yish, the mouse, is going to show the rat where the +chink is, the rat is going to gnaw a hole, and in the +morning there will be very little left of your cake."</p> + +<p>"I will tell the bailiff," said Bevis, in a rage, "and +the bailiff shall set a trap for the rat."</p> + +<p>"Well, that was what I was going to suggest," +said the weasel; "but upon consideration I am not +so sure that it is much use telling the bailiff, because, +as I daresay you recollect, the bailiff has often tried +his hand setting up a trap for the rat, but has never +yet caught him, from which I conclude that the rat +knows all the places where the bailiff sets the trap, +and takes good care not to go that way without previous +examination."</p> + +<p>"I'll set up the trap," said Bevis, "I'll set it up myself +in a new place. Let me see, where can I put it?"</p> + +<p>"I think it would be a very good plan if you did put +it up yourself," said the weasel, "because there is no +doubt you understand more about these things than the +bailiff, who is getting old."</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Bevis, "I know all about it—I can do +it very well indeed."</p> + +<p>"Just what I thought," said the weasel; "I thought +to myself, Bevis knows all about it—Bevis can do it. +Now, as the bailiff has set up the trap by the drain or +grating beside the cart-house, and under the wood-pile, +and by the pump, and has never caught the rat, it is +clear that the rat knows these places as well as the +bailiff, and if you remember there is a good deal of +grass grows there, so that the rat no doubt says to +himself: 'Aha! They are sure to put the trap here, +because they think I shall not see it in the grass—as if +I was so silly.' So that, depend upon it, he is always +very careful how he goes through the grass there.</p> + +<p>"Therefore I think the best place you could select +to set up the trap would be somewhere where there is +no kind of cover, no grass, nor anything, where it is +quite bare and open, and where the rat would run +along quickly and never think of any danger. And he +would be sure to run much faster and not stay to look +under his feet in crossing such places, lest Pan should +see him and give chase, or your papa should come +round the corner with a gun. Now I know there is +one such place the rat passes every evening; it is a +favourite path of his, because it is a short cut to the +stable—it is under the wall of the pig-sty. I know +this, because I once lived with the rat a little while, +and saw all his habits.</p> + +<p>"Well, under this wall it is quite open, and he +always runs by extremely fast, and that is the best +place to put the trap. Now when you have set the +trap, in order to hide it from view do you get your little +spade with which you dig in your garden, and take +a spadeful of the dust that lies about there (as it is so +dry there is plenty of dust) and throw it over the trap. +The dust will hide the trap, and will also prevent the +rat (for he has a wonderful sharp nose of his own) +from scenting where your fingers touched it. In the +morning you are sure to find him caught.</p> + +<p>"By-the-by, you had better not say anything to your +mamma that you know of the cake, else perhaps she +will move it from the cupboard, and then the rat may +go on some other moonlit ramble instead. As I said, +in the morning you are sure to find him in the trap, +and then do not listen to anything he has to say, for +he has a lying tongue, but let Pan loose, who will +instantly worry him to death."</p> + +<p>"I will do as you say," said Bevis, "for I see that +it is a very clever way to catch the rat, but, Sir Weasel, +you have told me so many false stories that I can scarce +believe you now it is plain you are telling me the truth; +nor shall I feel certain that you are this time (for once +in your wicked life) saying the truth, unless I know +why you are so anxious for the rat to be caught."</p> + +<p>"Why," said the weasel, "I will tell you the +reason; this afternoon the rat played me a very mean +and scurvy trick; he disgraced me before the king, and +made me a common laughing-stock to all the council, +for which I swore to have his life. Besides, upon one +occasion he bit his teeth right through my ear—the +marks of it are there still. See for yourself." So the +weasel thrust his head out of his hole, and Bevis saw +the marks left by the rat's teeth, and was convinced +that the weasel, out of malice, had at last been able for +once to tell the truth.</p> + +<p>"You are a horrid wretch," said Bevis, "still you +know how to catch the rat, and I will go home and do +it; but I cannot find my way out of this thicket—the +squirrel ought to come."</p> + +<p>"The way is under the ash bough there," said the +weasel, "and when you are outside the thicket turn +to your left and go downhill, and you will come to the +timber—and meantime I will send for the dragon-fly, +who will overtake you."</p> + +<p>"All right, horrid wretch," said Bevis, and away +he went. Now all this that the weasel had said really +was true, except about the cake; it was true that the +rat was very careful going through the grass, and that +he knew where the bailiff set the gin, and that he used +to run very quickly across the exposed place under the +wall of the pig-sty. But the story about the cake he +had made up out of his cunning head just to set Bevis +at work to put up the trap; and he hoped too, that +while Bevis was setting up the gin, the spring would +slip and pinch his fingers.</p> + +<p>By thus catching the rat, the weasel meant in the +first place to gratify his own personal malice, and next +to get rid of a very formidable competitor. For the rat +was very large and very strong, and brave and bold beyond +all the others; so much so that the weasel would +even have preferred to have a struggle with the fox +(though he was so much bigger), whose nostril he could +bite, than to meet the rat in fair and equal combat. +Besides, he hated the rat beyond measure, because the +rat had helped him out of the drain, which was when +his ear was bitten through. He intended to go down +to the farmyard very early next morning when the rat +was caught, and to go as near as he dared and taunt +the rat, and tell him how Pan would presently come +and crunch up his ribs. To see the rat twist, and +hear him groan, would be rare sport; it made his eyes +glisten to think of it. He was very desirous that Bevis +should find his way home all right, so he at once sent +a wasp for the dragon-fly, and the dragon-fly at once +started after Bevis.</p> + +<p>Just after the weasel had sent the wasp, the humble-bee +returned from Choo Hoo, and delivered the emperor's +message, which the weasel saw at once was intended to +encourage him in his proposed treachery. He thanked +the humble-bee for the care and speed with which his +errand had been accomplished, and then curled himself +up on his divan to go to sleep, so as to be ready to go +down early in the morning and torment the rat. As +he was very happy since his schemes were prospering, +he went to sleep in a minute as comfortable as could +be.</p> + +<p>Bevis crept through the thicket, and turned to the +left, and went down the hill, and found the timber, and +then went along the green track till he came to the +stile. He got over the bridge and followed the footpath, +when the dragon-fly overtook him and apologised +most sincerely for his neglect. "For," said he, "we +are so busy making ready for the army, and I have had +so much to do going to and fro with messages, that, my +dear Sir Bevis, you must forgive me for forgetting you. +Next time I will send a moth to stay close by you, so +that the moment you want me the moth can go and +fetch me."</p> + +<p>"I will forgive you just this once," said Bevis; and +the dragon-fly took him all the way home. After tea +Bevis went and found the gin, and tried to set it up +under the pig-sty wall, just as the weasel had told him; +but at first he could not quite manage it, being as usual +in such a hurry.</p> + +<p>Now there was a snail on the wall, and the snail +looked out of his shell and said: "Sir Bevis, do not be +too quick. Believe me, if you are too quick to-day you +are sure to be sorry to-morrow."</p> + +<p>"You are a stupid snail," said Bevis. Just then, +as the weasel had hoped, he pinched his fingers with +the spring so hard that tears almost came into his +eyes.</p> + +<p>"That was your fault," he said to the snail; and +snatching the poor thing off the wall, he flung him ever +so far; fortunately the snail fell on the grass, and was +not hurt, but he said to himself that in future, no +matter what he saw going on, he would never interfere, +but let people hurt themselves as much as they liked. +But Bevis, though he was so hasty, was also very +persevering, and presently he succeeded in setting up +the trap, and then taking his spade he spread the dust +over it and so hid it as the weasel had told him to. +He then went and put his spade back in the summer-house, +and having told Pan that in the morning there +would be a fine big rat for him to worry, went indoors.</p> + +<p>Now it is most probable that what the weasel had +arranged so well would all have happened just as he +foresaw, and that the trap so cleverly set up would +have caught the rat, had not the bailiff, when he +came home from the fields, chanced to see Bevis doing +it. He had to attend to something else then, but by-and-by, +when he had finished, he went and looked at +the place where Bevis had set the gin, and said to +himself: "Well, it is a very good plan to set up the gin, +for the rat is always taking the pigs' food, and even +had a gnaw at my luncheon, which was tied up in my +handkerchief, and which I—like a stupid—left on the +ground in my hurry instead of hanging up. But it +is a pity Sir Bevis should have set it here, for there is +no grass or cover, and the rat is certain to see it, and +Bevis will be disappointed in the morning, and will not +find the rat. Now I will just move the gin to a place +where the rat always comes, and where it will be +hidden by the grass, that is, just at the mouth of the +drain by the cart-house; it will catch the rat there, +and Sir Bevis will be pleased."</p> + +<p>So the bailiff, having thought this to himself, as he +leant against the wall, and listened to the pigs snoring, +carefully took up the gin and moved it down to the +mouth of the drain by the cart-house, and there set it +up in the grass.</p> + +<p>The rat was in the drain, and when he heard the +bailiff's heavy footsteps, and the noise he made +fumbling about with the trap, he laughed, and said +to himself: "Fumble away, you old stupid—I know +what you are doing. You are setting up a gin in the +same place you have set it twenty times before. +Twenty times you have set the gin up there and never +caught anything, and yet you cannot see, and you +cannot understand, and you never learn anything, and +you are the biggest dolt and idiot that ever walked, or +rather, you would be, only I thank heaven everybody +else is just like you! As if I could not hear what you +are doing; as if I did not look very carefully before I +come out of my hole, and before I put my foot down +on grass or leaves, and as if I could not smell your +great clumsy fingers: really I feel insulted that you +should treat me as if I was so foolish. However, upon +the whole, this is rather nice and considerate of you. +Ha! Ha!" and the rat laughed so loud that if the +bailiff had been sharp he must have heard this unusual +chuckling in the drain. But he heard nothing, but +went off down the road very contented with himself, +whistling a bar from "Madame Angôt" which he had +learnt from Bevis.</p> + +<p>When Bevis went to bed he just peeped out of the +window to look at the moon, but the sky was now +overcast, and the clouds were hurrying by, and the +wind rising—which the snail had expected, or he +would not have ventured out along the wall. While +Bevis was peeping out he saw the owl go by over the +orchard and up beside the hedge.</p> + +<p>The very same evening the young hawk, as has +been previously related, had gone to the glade in the +wood, and sat there in ambush waiting for the thrush. +Like Sir Bevis, the hawk was extremely impatient, +and the time as he sat on the ash passed very slowly +till at last he observed with much delight that the sun +was declining, and that the shadow of the dead oak-tree +would soon reach across towards him.</p> + +<p>The thrush, having sat at the banquet the whole of +the afternoon, and tasted every dainty that the camp of +Choo Hoo afforded, surrounded all the time by crowds +of pleasant companions, on the other hand, saw the +shadows lengthening with regret. He knew that it +was time for him to depart and convey the intelligence +to King Kapchack that Choo Hoo had fully agreed to +his proposal. Still loth to leave he lingered, and it +was not until dusk that he quitted the camp, accompanied +a little way over the frontier by some of Choo +Hoo's chief counsellors, who sought in every way to +do him honour. Then wishing him good-night, with +many invitations to return shortly, they left him to +pursue his journey.</p> + +<p>Knowing that he ought to have returned to the +king before this, the thrush put forth his best speed, +and thought to himself as he flew what a long account +he should have to give his wife and his children (who +were now grown up) of the high and important negotiation +with which he had been entrusted, and of the +attentions that had been paid to him by the emperor. +Happy in these anticipations, he passed rapidly over +the fields and the woods, when just as he flew beneath +the old dead oak in the glade down swooped the hawk +and bore him to the ground. In an instant a sharp +beak was driven into his head, and then, while yet +his body quivered, the feathers were plucked from his +breast and his heart laid bare. Hungry from his fast, +for he had touched nothing that day, being so occupied +with his master's business, the hawk picked the bones, +and then, after the manner of his kind, wishing to clean +his beak, flew up and perched on a large dead bough of +the oak just overhead.</p> + +<p>The moment he perched, a steel trap which had +been set there by the keeper flew up and caught him, +with such force that his limbs were broken. With a +shriek the hawk flapped his wings to fly, but this only +pulled his torn and bleeding legs, and overcome with +the agony, he fainted, and hung head downwards from +the bough, suspended by his sinews. Now this was +exactly what Ki Ki had foreseen would happen. There +were a hundred places along the thrush's route where +an ambush might have been placed, as well as in the +glade, but Ki Ki had observed that a trap was set upon +the old dead oak, and ordered his servant to strike the +thrush there, so that he might step into it afterwards, +thus killing two birds with one stone.</p> + +<p>He desired the death of his servant lest he should +tell tales, and let out the secret mission upon which he +had been employed, or lest he should boast, in the vain +glory of youth, of having slain the ambassador. Cruel +as he was, Ki Ki, too, thought of the torture the young +hawk would endure with delight, and said to himself +that it was hardly an adequate punishment for having +neglected so golden an opportunity for assassinating +Choo Hoo. From the fate of the thrush and the +youthful hawk, it would indeed appear that it is not +always safe to be employed upon secret business of +state. Yet Ki Ki, with all his cruel cunning, was not +wholly successful.</p> + +<p>For the owl, as he went his evening rounds, after +he had flown over the orchard where Bevis saw him, +went on up the hedge by the meadow, and skirting the +shore of the Long Pond, presently entered the wood +and glided across the glade towards the dead oak-tree, +which was one of his favourite haunts. As he came +near he was horrified to hear miserable groans and +moans, and incoherent talking, and directly afterwards +saw the poor hawk hanging head downwards. He had +recovered his consciousness only to feel again the +pressure of the steel, and the sharp pain of his broken +limbs, which presently sent him into a delirium.</p> + +<p>The owl circling round the tree was so overcome +by the spectacle that he too nearly fainted, and said to +himself: "It is clear that my lucky star rose to-night, +for without a doubt the trap was intended for me. I +have perched on that very bough every evening for +weeks, and I should have alighted there to-night had +not the hawk been before me. I have escaped from +the most terrible fate which ever befell any one, to +which indeed crucifixion, with an iron nail through +the brain, is mercy itself, for that is over in a minute, +but this miserable creature will linger till the morning."</p> + +<p>So saying, he felt so faint that (first looking very +carefully to see that there were no more traps) he +perched on a bough a little way above the hawk. The +hawk, in his delirium, was talking of all that he had +done and heard that day, reviling Ki Ki and Choo Hoo, +imploring destruction upon his master's head, and then +flapping his wings and so tearing his sinews and grinding +his broken bones together, he shrieked with pain. +Then again he went on talking about the treaty, and +the weasel's treason, and the assassination of the +ambassador. The owl, sitting close by, heard all +these things, and after a time came to understand +what the hawk meant; at first he could not believe +that his master, the king, would conclude a treaty +without first consulting him, but looking underneath +him he saw the feathers of the thrush scattered on the +grass, and could no longer doubt that what the hawk +said was true.</p> + +<p>But when he heard the story of Ki Ki's promised +treason on the day of battle, when he heard that the +weasel had betrayed the secret of the spring, which +did not freeze in winter, he lifted up his claw and +opened his eyes still wider in amazement and terror. +"Wretched creature!" he said, "what is this you +have been saying." But the hawk, quite mad with +agony, did not know him, but mistook him for Ki Ki, +and poured out such terrible denunciations that the +owl, shocked beyond measure, flew away.</p> + +<p>As he went, after he had gone some distance under +the trees, and could no longer hear the ravings of the +tortured hawk, he began to ask himself what he had +better do. At first he thought that he would say +nothing, but take measures to defeat these traitors. +But presently it occurred to him that it was dangerous +even to know such things, and he wished that he had +never heard what the hawk had said. He reflected, +too, that the bats had been flying about some time, +and might have heard the hawk's confessions, and +although they were not admitted at court, as they +belonged to the lower orders, still under such circumstances +they might obtain an audience. They had +always borne him ill-will, they must have seen him, +and it was not unlikely they might say that the owl +knew all about it, and kept it from the king. On the +other hand, he thought that Kapchack's rage would be +terrible to face.</p> + +<p>Upon the whole, however, the owl came to the +conclusion that his safest, as well as his most honourable +course, was to go straight to the king, late as it +was, and communicate all that had thus come to his +knowledge. He set out at once, and upon his way +again passed the glade, taking care not to go too near +the dead oak, nor to look towards the suspended hawk. +He saw a night-jar like a ghost wheeling to and fro not +far from the scaffold, and anxious to get from the ill-omened +spot, flew yet more swiftly. Round the wood +he went, and along the hedges, so occupied with his +thoughts that he did not notice how the sky was +covered with clouds, and once or twice narrowly escaping +a branch blown off by the wind which had risen to a +gale. Nor did he see the fox with his brush touching +the ground, creeping unhappily along the mound, but +never looked to the right nor left, hastening as fast as +he could glide to King Kapchack.</p> + +<p>Now the king had waited up that night as long +as ever he could, wondering why the thrush did not +return, and growing more and more anxious about the +ambassador every moment. Yet he was unable to +imagine what could delay him, nor could he see how +any ill could befall him, protected as he was by the +privileges of his office. As the night came on, and the +ambassador did not come, Kapchack, worn out with +anxieties, snapped at his attendants, who retired to a +little distance, for they feared the monarch in these fits +of temper.</p> + +<p>Kapchack had just fallen asleep when the owl +arrived, and the attendants objected to letting him see +the king. But the owl insisted, saying that it was his +particular privilege as chief secretary of state to be +admitted to audience at any moment. With some +difficulty, therefore, he at last got to the king, who +woke up in a rage, and stormed at his faithful counsellor +with such fury that the attendants again retired +in affright. But the owl stood his ground and told +his tale.</p> + +<p>When King Kapchack heard that his ambassador +had been foully assassinated, and that, therefore, the +treaty was at an end—for Choo Hoo would never +brook such an affront; when he heard that Ki Ki, his +trusted Ki Ki, who had the command, had offered to +retreat in the hour of battle, and expose him to be +taken prisoner; when he heard that the weasel, the +weasel whom that very afternoon he had restored to +his highest favour, had revealed to the enemy the +existence of the spring, he lost all his spirit, and he +knew not what to do. He waved the owl from his +presence, and sat alone hanging his head, utterly overcome.</p> + +<p>The clouds grew darker, the wind howled, the trees +creaked, and the branches cracked (the snail had +foreseen the storm and had ventured forth on the wall), +a few spots of rain came driving along. Kapchack +heard nothing. He was deserted by all: all had turned +traitors against him, every one. He who had himself +deceived all was now deceived by all, and suffered the +keenest pangs. Thus, in dolour and despair the darkness +increased, and the tempest howled about him.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI"></a>CHAPTER XI.</h2> + +<h3>THE STORM IN THE NIGHT.</h3> + + +<p>When the fox, after humbling himself in the dust, +was rudely dismissed by King Kapchack, he was so +mortified, that as he slunk away his brush touched +the ground, and the tip of his nostrils turned almost +white. That he, whose ancestors had once held +regal dignity, should thus be contemned by one who +in comparison was a mere upstart, and that, too, after +doing him a service by means of the gnat, and after +bowing himself, as it were, to the ground, hurt him to +his soul. He went away through the fern and the +bushes to his lair in the long grass which grew in a +corner of the copse, and having curled himself up, tried +to forget the insult in slumber.</p> + +<p>But he could not shut his eyes, and after a while he +went off again down the hedgerow to another place +where he sometimes stayed, under thick brambles on a +broad mound. But he could not rest there, nor in the +osier bed, nor in the furze, but he kept moving from +place to place all day, contrary to his custom, and not +without running great danger. The sting lingered in +him, and the more so because he felt that it was true—he +knew himself that he had not shown any ability +lately. Slowly the long day passed, the shadows +lengthened and it became night. Still restlessly and +aimlessly wandering he went about the fields noticing +nothing, but miserable to the last degree. The owl +flew by on his errand to King Kapchack; the bats +fluttered overhead; the wind blew and the trees creaked; +but the fox neither saw, nor heard, nor thought of +anything except his own degradation. He had been +cast forth as unworthy—even the very mouse had received +some instructions, but he, the descendant of illustrious +ancestors, was pointedly told that the wit for which +they had been famous did not exist in him.</p> + +<p>As the night drew on, the wind rose higher, the +clouds became thicker and darker, the branches crashed +to the earth, the tempest rushed along bearing everything +before it. The owls, alarmed for their safety, +hid in the hollow trees, or retired to their barns; the +bats retreated into the crevices of the tiles; nothing +was abroad but the wildfowl, whose cries occasionally +resounded overhead. Now and then, the fall of some +branch into a hawthorn bush frightened the sleeping +thrushes and blackbirds, who flew forth into the darkness, +not knowing whither they were going. The +rabbits crouched on the sheltered side of the hedges, +and then went back into their holes. The larks cowered +closer to the earth.</p> + +<p>Ruin and destruction raged around: in Choo Hoo's +camp the ash poles beat against each other, oaks were +rent, and his vast army knew no sleep that night. +Whirled about by the fearful gusts, the dying hawk, +suspended from the trap, no longer fluttered, but swung +unconscious to and fro. The feathers of the murdered +thrush were scattered afar, and the leaves torn from +the boughs went sweeping after them. Alone in the +scene the fox raced along, something of the wildness +of the night entered into him; he tried, by putting +forth his utmost speed, to throw off the sense of +ignominy.</p> + +<p>In the darkness, and in his distress of mind, he +neither knew or cared whither he was going. He +passed the shore of the Long Pond, and heard the +waves dashing on the stones, and felt the spray +driven far up on the sward. He passed the miserable +hawk. He ran like the wind by the camp of Choo +Hoo, and heard the hum of the army, unable to sleep. +Weary at last, he sought for some spot into which +to drag his limbs, and crept along a mound which, +although he did not recognise it in his stupefied state +of mind, was really not far from where he had started. +As he was creeping along, he fancied he heard a voice +which came from the ground beneath his feet; it +sounded so strange in the darkness that he started +and stayed to listen.</p> + +<p>He heard it again, but though he thought he knew +the voices of all the residents in the field, he could +not tell who it was, nor whence it came. But after a +time he found that it proceeded from the lower part or +butt of an elm-tree. This tree was very large, and +seemed perfectly sound, but it seems there was a crack +in it, whether caused by lightning or not he did not +know, which did not show at ordinary times. But +when the wind blew extremely strong as it did to-night, +the tree leant over before the blast, and thus opened the +crack. The fox, listening at the crack, heard the voice +lamenting the long years that had passed, the darkness +and the dreary time, and imploring every species of +vengeance upon the head of the cruel King Kapchack.</p> + +<p>After a while the fox came to the conclusion that +this must be the toad who, very many years ago, for +some offence committed against the state, was imprisoned +by Kapchack's orders in the butt of an elm, +there to remain till the end of the world. Curious to +know why the toad had been punished in this terrible +manner, the fox resolved to speak to the prisoner, +from whom perhaps he might learn something to Kapchack's +disadvantage. Waiting, therefore, till the +crack opened as the gust came, the fox spoke into it, +and the toad, only too delighted to get some one to +talk to at last, replied directly.</p> + +<p>But the chink was so small that his voice was scarcely +audible; the chink, too, only opened for a second or +two during the savage puffs of the gale, and then closed +again, so that connected conversation was not possible, +and all the fox heard was that the toad had some very +important things to say. Anxious to learn these things, +the fox tried his hardest to discover some way of communicating +with the toad, and at last he hit upon a +plan. He looked round till he found a little bit of flint, +which he picked up, and when the elm bent over +before the gale, and the chink opened, he pushed the +splinter of flint into the crevice.</p> + +<p>Then he found another piece of flint just a trifle +larger, and, watching his opportunity, thrust it in. +This he did three or four times, each time putting in +a larger wedge, till there was a crack sufficiently open +to allow him to talk to the toad easily. The toad said +that this was the first time he had spoken to anybody +since his grandson, who lived in the rhubarb patch, +came to exchange a word with him before the butt of +the tree grew quite round him.</p> + +<p>But though the fox plied him with questions, and +persuaded him in every way, he would not reveal the +reason why he was imprisoned, except that he had +unluckily seen Kapchack do something. He dared not +say what it was, because if he did he had no doubt he +would be immediately put to death, and although life +in the tree was no more than a living death, still it was +life, and he had this consolation, that through being +debarred from all exercise and work, and compelled to +exist without eating or drinking, notwithstanding the +time passed and the years went by, still he did not +grow any older. He was as young now as when he +was first put into the dungeon, and if he could once get +out, he felt that he should soon recover the use of his +limbs, and should crawl about and enjoy himself when +his grandson who lived in the rhubarb patch, and who +was already very old and warty, was dead.</p> + +<p>Indeed by being thus shut up he should survive +every other toad, and he hoped some day to get out, +because although he had been condemned to imprisonment +till the end of the world, that was only Kapchack's +vainglorious way of pronouncing sentence, as if his +(Kapchack's) authority was going to endure for ever, +which was quite contrary to history and the teachings +of philosophy. So far from that he did not believe +himself that Kapchack's dynasty was fated to endure +very long, for since he had been a prisoner immured in +the earth, he had heard many strange things whispered +along underground, and among them a saying about +Kapchack. Besides which he knew that the elm-tree +could not exist for ever; already there was a crack in +it, which in time would split farther up; the elm had +reached its prime, and was beginning to decay within. +By-and-by it would be blown over, and then the farmer +would have the butt grubbed up, and split for firewood, +and he should escape. It was true it might be many +years hence, perhaps a century, but that did not matter +in the least—time was nothing to him now—and he +knew he should emerge as young as when he went in.</p> + +<p>This was the reason why he so carefully kept the +secret of what he had seen, so as to preserve his life; +nor could the fox by any persuasion prevail upon him +to disclose the matter.</p> + +<p>"But at least," said the fox, "at least tell me the +saying you have heard underground about King Kapchack."</p> + +<p>"I am afraid to do so," said the toad; "for having +already suffered so much I dread the infliction of further +misery."</p> + +<p>"If you will tell me," said the fox, "I will do my +very best to get you out. I will keep putting in wedges +till the tree splits wide open, so that you may crawl up +the chink."</p> + +<p>"Will you," said the toad, excited at the hope of +liberty, "will you really do that?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, that I will," said the fox; "wait an instant, +and I will fetch another flint."</p> + +<p>So he brought another flint which split the tree so +much that the toad felt the fresh air come down to +him. "And you really will do it?" he said.</p> + +<p>"Yes," repeated the fox, "I will certainly let you +out."</p> + +<p>"Then," said the toad, "the saying I have heard +underground is this: 'When the hare hunts the +hunter in the dead day, the hours of King Kapchack +are numbered'. It is a curious and a difficult saying, +for I cannot myself understand how the day could be +dead, nor how the hare could chase the sportsman; +but you, who have so high a reputation for sagacity, +can no doubt in time interpret it. Now put in some +more wedges and help me out."</p> + +<p>But the fox, having learnt all that the toad could +tell him, went away, and finding the osiers, curled +himself up to sleep.</p> + +<p>The same night, the weasel, having had a very +pleasant nap upon his divan in the elm in the squirrel's +copse, woke up soon after midnight, and started for the +farm, in order to enjoy the pleasure of seeing the rat +in the gin, which he had instructed Bevis how to set +up. Had it not been for this he would not have faced +so terrible a tempest, but to see the rat in torture he +would have gone through anything. As he crept along +a furrow, not far outside the copse, choosing that route +that he might be somewhat sheltered in the hollow +from the wind, he saw a wire which a poacher had +set up, and stayed to consider how he could turn it to +his advantage.</p> + +<p>"There is Ulu, the hare," he said to himself, +"who lives in the wheat-field; I had her son, he was +very sweet and tender, and also her nephew, who was +not so juicy, and I have noticed that she has got very +plump of late. She is up on the hill to-night I have +no doubt, notwithstanding the tempest, dancing and +flirting with her disreputable companions, for vice has +such an attraction for some minds that they cannot +forego its pleasures, even at the utmost personal inconvenience. +Such revels, at such a time of tempest, +while the wrath of heaven is wreaked upon the trees, +are nothing short of sacrilege, and I for one have +always set my mind against irreverence. I shall do +the world a service if I rid it of such an abandoned +creature." So he called to a moor-hen, who was flying +over from the Long Pond at a tremendous pace, being +carried before the wind, and the moor-hen, not without +a great deal of trouble, managed to wheel round (she +was never very clever with her wings) to receive his +commands, for she did not dare to pass over or slight +so high a personage.</p> + +<p>"Moor-hen," said the weasel, "do you go direct to +the hills and find Ulu, the hare, and tell her that little +Sir Bevis, of whom she is so fond, is lost in the copse, +and that he is crying bitterly because of the darkness +and the wind, and what will become of him I do not +know. I have done my very best to show him the way +home, but he cherishes an unfortunate prejudice against +me, and will not listen to what I say. Therefore if the +hare does not come immediately and show him the +way I greatly fear that he will be knocked down by the +branches, or cry his dear pretty darling heart out; +and tell her that he is at this minute close to the +birches. Go quickly, Moor-hen."</p> + +<p>"I will, my lord," said the moor-hen, and away she +flew.</p> + +<p>Then the weasel proceeded on his way, and shortly +afterwards arrived at the farm. As he came quietly +down from the rick-yard, he said to himself: "I will +keep a good way from the wall, as it is so dark, and I +do not know the exact place where Bevis has put the +trap. Besides, it is just possible that the rat may not +yet have passed that way, for he does most of his +business in the early morning, and it is not yet dawn."</p> + +<p>So he crossed over to the wood-pile and listened +carefully, but could hear no groans, as he had expected; +but, on consideration, he put this down to the wind, +which he observed blew the sound away from him. +He then slipped over to the grass by the cart-house wall, +intending to listen at the mouth of the drain to hear if +the rat was within, and then if that was not the case, +to go on along towards the wall of the pig-sty, for he +began to think the rat must have been stunned by the +trap, and so could not squeak.</p> + +<p>If that was the case, he thought he would just bite +off the end of the rat's tail, in revenge for the terrible +meal he had once been obliged to make upon his own, +and also to wake up the rat to the misery of his position. +But just as he approached the mouth of the drain, +sniffing and listening with the utmost caution, it +happened that a drop of rain fell through a chink in the +top of Pan's tub, and woke him from his slumber. Pan +shook himself and turned round, and the weasel, hearing +the disturbance, dreaded lest Pan was loose, and +had caught scent of him. He darted forwards to get +into the drain, when the trap, which the bailiff had so +carefully removed from where Bevis had set it, snapped +him up in a second. The shock and the pain made +him faint; he turned over and lay still.</p> + +<p>About the same time the moor-hen, borne swiftly +along by the wind on her way to the river, reached the +hills, and seeing the hare, flew low down and delivered +the weasel's message as well as she could. The hare +was dreadfully alarmed about Sir Bevis, and anxious to +relieve him from his fright in the dark copse, raced +down the hill, and over the fields as fast as she could +go, making towards that part of the copse where the +birches stood, as the weasel had directed, knowing that +in running there she would find her neck in a noose.</p> + +<p>It happened just as he had foreseen. She came +along as fast as the wind, and could already see the +copse like a thicker darkness before her, when the loop +of the wire drew up around her neck, and over she +rolled in the furrow.</p> + +<p>Now the weasel had hoped that the wire would not +hang her at once. He intended to have come back +from the farm, and from taunting the rat in the trap, +in time to put his teeth into her veins, before, in her +convulsive efforts to get free, she tightened the noose +and died.</p> + +<p>And this, too, happened exactly as the weasel had +intended, but in a different manner, and with a different +result; for it had chanced that the wind, in the +course of its ravages among the trees, snapped off a +twig of ash, which rolling over and over before the +blast along the sward, came against the stick which +upheld the wire, and the end of the twig where it had +broken from the tree lodged in the loop. Thus, when +Ulu kicked, and struggled, and screamed, in her fear, +the noose indeed drew up tight and half-strangled her, +but not quite, because the little piece of wood prevented +it. But, exhausted with pain and terror, and partially +choked, the poor hare at last could do nothing else but +crouch down in the furrow, where the rain fell on and +soaked her warm coat of fur. For as the dawn came +on the wind sank, and the rain fell.</p> + +<p>In this unhappy plight she passed the rest of the +night, dreading every moment lest the fox should come +along (as she could not run away), and not less afraid +of the daybreak, when some one would certainly +find her.</p> + +<p>After many weary hours, the bailiff coming to his +work in the morning with a sack over his shoulders to +keep out the rain, saw something on the grass, and +pounced upon the wretched hare. Already his great +thumb was against the back of her neck—already she +was thrown across his knee—already she felt her +sinews stretch, as he proceeded to break her neck, +regardless of her shrieks—when suddenly it occurred to +him how delighted Bevis would be with a living hare. +For the bailiff was very fond of Bevis, and would have +done anything to please him. So he took the hare in +his arms, and carried her down to the farm.</p> + +<p>When Bevis got up and came to breakfast, the +bailiff came in and brought him the hare, expecting +that he would be highly pleased. But Bevis in an +instant recognised his friend who had shown him his +way in the cowslips, and flew into a rage, and beat the +bailiff with his fist for his cruelty. Nothing would +satisfy him but he must let the hare go free before he +touched his breakfast. He would not sit down, he +stamped and made such a to-do that at last they let +him have his own way.</p> + +<p>He would not even allow the bailiff to carry the +hare for him; he took her in his arms and went with +her up the footpath into the field. He would not even +permit them to follow him. Now, the hare knew him +very well but could not speak when any one else was +near, for it is very well known to be a law among hares +and birds, and such creatures, that they can only talk +to one human being, and are dumb when more than +one are present. But when Bevis had taken her out +into the footpath, and set her down, and stroked her +back, and her long ears, black at the tip, and had told +her to go straight up the footpath, and not through the +long grass, because it was wet with the rain, the hare +told him how she came in the wire through the wicked +weasel telling her that he was lost in the copse.</p> + +<p>"I was not lost," said Bevis; "I went to bed, +and saw the owl go by. The weasel told another of +his stories—now, I remember, he told me to set the +trap for the rat."</p> + +<p>"Did he?" said the hare; "then you may depend +it is some more of his dreadful wickedness; there will +be no peace in the world while he is allowed to go +roaming about."</p> + +<p>"No," said Bevis, "that there will not: but as sure +as my papa's gun, which is the best gun in the country, +as sure as my papa's gun I will kill him the next time +I see him. I will not listen to the squirrel, I will cut +the weasel's tree down, and chop off his head."</p> + +<p>"I hope you will, dear," said the hare. "But now +I must be gone, for I can hear Pan barking, and no +doubt he can smell me; besides which, it is broad daylight, +and I must go and hide; good-bye, my dear Sir +Bevis." And away went the hare up the footpath till +Bevis lost sight of her through the gateway.</p> + +<p>Then he went to his breakfast, and directly afterwards, +putting on his greatcoat, for it still rained a +little, he went up to the wall by the pig-sty expecting +to find the rat in the trap. But the trap was +gone.</p> + +<p>"There now," said he, falling into another rage, +twice already that morning; "I do believe that stupid +bailiff has moved it," and so the bailiff trying to please +him fell twice into disgrace in an hour.</p> + +<p>Looking about to see where the bailiff had put the +trap, he remembered what the weasel had told him, +and going to the cart-house wall by the drain, found +the trap and the weasel in it: "Oh! you false and +treacherous creature!" said Bevis, picking up a stone, +"now I will smash you into seventy thousand little +pieces," and he flung the stone with all his might, but +being in too much of a hurry (as the snail had warned +him) it missed the mark, and only knocked a bit of +mortar out of the wall. He looked round for a bigger +one, so that he might crush the wretch this time, when +the weasel feebly lifted his head, and said: "Bevis! +Bevis! It is not generous of you to bear such malice +towards me now I am dying; you should rather——"</p> + +<p>"Hold your tongue, horrid thing," said Bevis; "I +will not listen to anything you have to say. Here is a +brick, this will do, first-rate, to pound you with, and +now I think of it, I will come a little nearer so as to +make quite sure."</p> + +<p>"Oh, Bevis!" said the weasel with a gasp, "I shall +be dead in a minute," and Bevis saw his head fall back.</p> + +<p>"Tell the hare I repented," said the weasel. "I +have been very wicked, Bevis—oh!—but I shall never, +never do it any more—oh!—--"</p> + +<p>"Are you dead?" said Bevis. "Are you quite +dead?" putting down the brick, for he could not bear +to see anything in such distress, and his rage was over +in a minute.</p> + +<p>"I am," said the weasel, "at least I shall be in +half-a-minute, for I must be particular to tell the exact +truth in this extremity. Oh! there is one thing I +should like to say——"</p> + +<p>"What is it?" said Bevis.</p> + +<p>"But if you smash me I can't," said the weasel; +"and what is the use of smashing me, for all my bones +are broken?"</p> + +<p>"I will not smash you," said Bevis, "I will only +have you nailed up to the stable door so that everybody +may see what a wretch you were."</p> + +<p>"Thank you," said the weasel, very gratefully, +"will you please tell the hare and all of them that if I +could only live I would do everything I could to make +up to them, for all the wickedness I have committed—oh!—I +have not got time to say all I would. Oh! +Bevis, Bevis!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, poor thing," said Bevis, now quite melted +and sorry for the wretched criminal, whose life was +ebbing so fast, "what is it you want? I will be sure +to do it."</p> + +<p>"Then, dear Sir Bevis—how kind it is of you to +forgive me, dear Sir Bevis; when I am dead do not +nail me to the door—only think how terrible that would +be—bury me, dear."</p> + +<p>"So I will," said Bevis; "but perhaps you needn't +die. Stay a little while, and let us see if you cannot +live."</p> + +<p>"Oh, no," said the weasel, "my time is come. +But when I am dead, dear, please take me out of this +cruel trap in which I am so justly caught, as I set it +for another; take me out of this cruel trap which has +broken my ribs, and lay me flat on the grass, and pull +my limbs out straight, so that I may not stiffen all in +a heap and crooked. Then get your spade, my dear +Sir Bevis, and dig a hole and bury me, and put a stone +on top of me, so that Pan cannot scratch me up—oh! +oh!—will you—oh!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, indeed I will. I will dig the hole—I have a +capital spade," said Bevis; "stay a minute."</p> + +<p>But the weasel gave three gasps and fell back quite +dead. Bevis looked at him a little while, and then put +his foot on the spring and pressed it down and took the +weasel out. He stroked down his fur where the trap +had ruffled it, and rubbed the earth from his poor paws +with which he had struggled to get free, and then +having chosen a spot close by the wood-pile, where the +ground was soft, to dig the hole, he put the weasel +down there, and pulled his limbs out straight, and so +disposed him for the last sad ceremony. He then ran +to the summer-house, which was not far, and having +found the spade came back with it to the wood-pile. +But the weasel was gone.</p> + +<p>There was the trap; there was the place he had +chosen—all the little twigs and leaves brushed away +ready for digging—but no weasel. He was bewildered, +when a robin perched on the top of the wood-pile +put his head on one side, and said so softly and sadly: +"Bevis, Bevis, little Sir Bevis, what have you done?" +For the weasel was not dead, and was not even very +seriously injured; the trap was old, and the spring not +very strong, and the teeth did not quite meet. If the +rat, who was fat, had got in, it would have pinched +him dreadfully, but the weasel was extremely thin, +and so he escaped with a broken rib—the only true +thing he had said.</p> + +<p>So soon as ever Sir Bevis's back was turned, the +weasel crawled under the wood-pile, just as he had +done once before, and from there made his way as +quickly as he could up the field sheltered by the aftermath, +which had now grown long again. When Bevis +understood that the weasel had only shammed dying, +and had really got away, he burst into tears, for he +could not bear to be cheated, and then threw his spade +at the robin.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII"></a>CHAPTER XII.</h2> + +<h3>THE OLD OAK.—THE KING'S DESPAIR.</h3> + + +<p>The very same morning, after the rain had ceased, the +keeper who looked after the great woods at the other +end of the Long Pond set out with his gun and his dogs +to walk round the preserves. Now the dogs he took +with him were the very best dogs he had, for that +night a young gentleman, who had just succeeded to +the estate, was coming down from London, and on +the following morning would be sure to go out shooting. +This young gentleman had unexpectedly come into the +property through the death of the owner, who was +shot in his bedroom by a burglar. The robber had +once been his groom, and the squirrel told Bevis how +it all happened through a flint falling out of the hole +in the bottom of the waggon which belonged to the +old farmer in whose orchard Kapchack had his palace.</p> + +<p>The heir had been kept at a distance during the old +gentleman's lifetime, for the old gentleman always +meant to marry and have a son, but did not do so, +and also always meant to make a will and leave the +best part of his estate to somebody else, but he did not +do so, and as the old toad in the rhubarb patch told +Bevis afterwards when he heard the story, if you are +only going to do a thing, it would be no use if you lived +a thousand years, it would always be just the same. +So the young fellow, who had been poor all his life, +when he thus suddenly jumped into such a property, +was not a little elated, and wrote to the keeper that he +should come down and have some shooting.</p> + +<p>The keeper was rather alarmed at this, for the +former owner was not a sporting man, and did not +look strictly after such things, so that the game had +been neglected and had got scarce; and what was +worse, the dogs were out of training. He therefore +got up early that morning, intending to go his rounds +quickly, and then take the dogs out into the stubble, +and try and thrash them into some use. Presently, as +he walked along, he came to the glade in the woods, +and saw the dead hawk hanging from the trap up in +the old oak-tree. Pleased to find that his trap, so +cunningly placed, had not been prepared in vain, he +went up to the oak, leaned his gun against the trunk, +ordered the dogs to lie down (which they did with +some reluctance), and then climbed up into the tree +to re-set the gin.</p> + +<p>He took the hawk from the trap (his feathers were +all draggled and wet from the rain), and threw the dead +bird down; and, whether it was that the act of throwing +it caused an extra strain upon the bough, or whether +the storm had cracked it in the night, or whether it +had rotted away more than appeared on the surface, or +whether it was all of these things together, certain it is +the bough broke, and down came the keeper thud on +the sward. The bough fell down with him, and as it +fell it struck the gun, and the gun exploded, and although +the dogs scampered aside when they heard the +crack, they did not scamper so quick but one of them +was shot dead, and the other two were mortally +wounded.</p> + +<p>For a while the keeper lay there stunned, with the +wet grass against his face. But by-and-by, coming to +himself, he sat up with difficulty, and called for +assistance, for he could not move, having sprained one +ankle, and broken the small bone of the other leg. +There he sat and shouted, but no one came for some +time, till presently a slouching labourer (it was the very +same who put up the wire by the copse in which the +hare was caught) chanced to pass by outside the wood. +The keeper saw him, but hoarse with shouting, and +feeling faint too (for a sprained ankle is extremely +painful), he could not make him hear. But he bethought +him of his gun, and dragging it to him, hastily +put in a cartridge and fired.</p> + +<p>The report drew the labourer's attention, and peering +into the wood, he saw some one on the ground +waving a white handkerchief. After looking a long time, +he made up his mind to go and see what it was; but +then he recollected that if he put his foot inside the +wood he should be trespassing, and as he had got a wire +in his pocket that would be a serious matter. So he +altered his mind, and went on.</p> + +<p>Very likely the keeper was angry, but there was no +one to hear what he said except the dead hawk. He +would have fired off fifty cartridges if he had had them, +but as he did not like a weight to carry he had only +two or three, and these did not attract attention. As +for the labourer, about midday, when he sat down to +lunch in the cart-house at the farm where he worked +with the other men, he did just mention that he +thought he had seen something white waving in the +wood, and they said it was odd, but very likely nothing +to speak of.</p> + +<p>One of the wounded dogs ran home, bleeding all +the way, and there crept into his kennel and died; the +other could not get so far, but dropped in a hedge. The +keeper's wife wondered why he did not come home to +dinner, but supposed, with a sigh, that he had looked +in at an alehouse, and went on with her work.</p> + +<p>The keeper shouted again when his throat got less +hoarse, but all the answer he obtained was the echo +from the wood. He tried to crawl, but the pain was +so exquisite he got but a very little way, and there he +had to lie. The sun rose higher and shone out as the +clouds rolled away, and the rain-drops on the grass +glistened bright till presently they dried up.</p> + +<p>With the gleaming of the sun there was motion in +the woods: blackbirds came forth and crossed the +glades; thrushes flew past; a jay fluttered round the +tops of the firs; after a while a pheasant came along +the verge of the underwood, now stepping out into +the grass, and now back again into the bushes. There +was a pleasant cawing of rooks, and several small +parties of wood-pigeons (doubtless from Choo Hoo's +camp) went over. Two or three rabbits hopped out and +fed; humble-bees went buzzing by; a green woodpecker +flashed across the glade and disappeared among +the trees as if an arrow had been shot into the woods.</p> + +<p>The slow hours went on, and as the sun grew hotter +the keeper, unable to move, began to suffer from the +fierceness of the rays, for anything still finds out the +heat more than that which is in movement. First he +lifted his hat from time to time above his head, but it +was not much relief, as the wind had fallen. Next he +tried placing his handkerchief inside his hat. At last +he took off his coat, stuck the barrels of his gun into the +ground (soft from the rain), and hung the coat upon it. +This gave him a little shadow. The dead oak-tree +having no leaves cast but a narrow shade, and that fell +on the opposite side to where he was.</p> + +<p>In the afternoon, when the heat was very great and +all the other birds appeared to have gone, a crow came +(one of Kauc's retainers) and perched low down on an +ash-tree not more than fifty yards away. Perhaps it +was the dead dog; perhaps it was the knowledge that +the man was helpless, that brought him. There he +perched, and the keeper reviled him, wishing that he +had but saved one of his cartridges, and forgetting that +even then the barrels of his gun were too full of earth. +After a while the crow flew idly across to the other side +of the glade, and went out of sight; but it was only for +a short time, and presently he came back again. This +the crow did several times, always returning to the +ash.</p> + +<p>The keeper ran over in his mind the people who +would probably miss him, and cause a search to be +made. First there was his wife; but once, when he +had been a long time from home, and she in a great +alarm had sought for him, she found him drunk at the +alehouse, and he beat her for her trouble. It was not +likely that she would come. The lad who acted as his +assistant (he had but one, for, as previously stated, the +former owner did not shoot) was not likely to look for +him either, for not long since, bringing a message to his +superior, he discovered him selling some game, and was +knocked down for his pains. As for his companions +at the alehouse, they would be all out in the fields, +and would not assemble till night: several of them he +knew were poachers, and though glad enough to share +his beer would not have looked towards him if in +distress.</p> + +<p>The slow hours wore on, and the sun declining a +little, the shadow of the dead oak moved round, and +together with his coat sheltered him fairly well. Weary +with the unwonted labour of thinking, the tension of +his mind began to yield, and by-and-by he dropped +asleep, lying at full length upon his back. The crow +returned once more to the ash, and looked at the sleeping +man and the dead dog, cleaned his beak against the +bough, and uttered a low croak. Once he flew a little +way out towards them, but there was the gun: it was +true he knew very well there was no powder (for, in +the first place, he could not smell any, and, secondly, if +there had been any he knew he should have had the +shot singing about his ears long before this; you see, +he could put two and two together), still there was the +gun. The dog does not like the corner where the +walking-stick stands. The crow did not like the gun, +though it was stuck in the ground: he went back to +the ash, cleaned his bill, and waited.</p> + +<p>Something came stealthily through the grass, now +stopping, now advancing with a creeping, evil motion. +It was the weasel. When he stole away from the +wood-pile, after escaping from the trap, he made up the +field towards the copse, but upon reflection he determined +to abandon his lair in the hollow elm, for he had +so abused Bevis's good-nature that he doubted whether +Bevis might not attack him even there despite the +squirrel. He did not know exactly where to go, +knowing that every creature was in secret his enemy, +and in his wounded state, unable to move quickly or +properly defend himself, he dreaded to trust himself +near them. After a while he remembered the old dead +oak, which was also hollow within, and which was so +far from the copse it was not probable Bevis would +find it.</p> + +<p>Thither he bent his painful steps, for his broken rib +hurt him very much, and after many pauses to rest, +presently, in the afternoon, he came near. Lifting his +head above the grass he saw the dead dog, and the +sleeping keeper; he watched them a long time, and +seeing that neither of them moved he advanced closer. +As he approached he saw the dead hawk, and recognised +one of Ki Ki's retainers; then coming to the dog, +the blood from the shot wounds excited his terrible +thirst. But it had ceased to flow; he sniffed at it and +then went towards the man.</p> + +<p>The crow, envious, but afraid to join the venture, +watched him from the ash. Every few inches the +weasel stayed, lifted his head; looked, and listened. +Then he advanced again, paused, and again approached. +In five minutes he had reached the keeper's feet; +two minutes more and he was by his waist. He +listened again; he sniffed, he knew it was dangerous, +but he could not check the resistless prompting of his +appetite.</p> + +<p>He crept up on the keeper's chest; the crow +fidgeted on the ash. He crept up to the necktie; the +crow came down on a lower bough. He moved yet +another inch to the collar; the crow flew out ten yards +and settled on the ground. The collar was stiff, and +partly covered that part of the neck which fascinated +the weasel's gaze. He put his foot softly on the +collar; the crow hopped thrice towards them. He +brought up his other foot, he sniffed—the breath came +warm from the man's half-open lips—he adventured +the risk, and placed his paw on the keeper's neck.</p> + +<p>Instantly—as if he had received an electric shock—the +keeper started to his knees, shuddering; the weasel +dropped from his neck upon the ground, the crow +hastened back to the ash. With a blow of his open +hand the keeper knocked the weasel yards away; +then, in his rage and fear, with whitened face, he +wished instead he had beaten the creature down upon +the earth, for the weasel, despite the grinding of his +broken rib, began to crawl off, and he could not reach +him.</p> + +<p>He looked round for a stick or stone, there was +none; he put his hand in his pocket, but his knife had +slipped out when he fell from the tree. He passed his +hands over his waistcoat seeking for something, felt his +watch—a heavy silver one—and in his fury snatched it +from the swivel, and hurled it at the weasel. The +watch thrown with such force missed the weasel, +struck the sward, and bounded up against the oak: the +glass shivered and flew sparkling a second in the sunshine; +the watch glanced aside, and dropped in the +grass. When he looked again the weasel had gone. +It was an hour before the keeper recovered himself—the +shuddering terror with which he woke up haunted +him in the broad daylight.</p> + +<p>An intolerable thirst now tormented him, but the +furrow was dry. In the morning, he remembered it +had contained a little water from the rain, which +during the day had sunk into the earth. He picked a +bennet from the grass and bit it, but it was sapless, +dried by the summer heat. He looked for a leaf of +sorrel, but there was none. The slow hours wore on; +the sun sank below the wood, and the long shadows +stretched out. By-and-by the grass became cooler to +the touch; dew was forming upon it. Overhead the +rooks streamed homewards to their roosting trees. +They cawed incessantly as they flew; they were +talking about Kapchack and Choo Hoo, but he did not +understand them.</p> + +<p>The shadows reached across the glade, and yonder +the rabbits appeared again from among the bushes +where their burrows were. He began now to seriously +think that he should have to pass the night there. His +ankle was swollen, and the pain almost beyond endurance. +The slightest attempt at motion caused intense +agony. His one hope now was that the same slouching +labourer who had passed in the morning would go back +that way at night; but as the shadows deepened that +hope departed, and he doubted too whether any one +could see him through the underwood in the dark. The +slouching labourer purposely avoided that route home. +He did not want to see anything, if anything there +was.</p> + +<p>He went round by the high road, and having had +his supper, and given his wife a clout in the head, he +sauntered down to the alehouse. After he had taken +three quarts of beer, he mentioned the curious incident +of the white handkerchief in the woods to his mates, +who congratulated him on his sense in refraining from +going near it, as most likely it was one of that keeper's +tricks, just to get somebody into the wood. More talk, +and more beer. By-and-by the keeper's wife began to +feel alarmed. She had already found the dead dog in +the kennel; but that did not surprise her in the least, +knowing her husband's temper, and that if a dog disobeyed +it was not at all unusual for a cartridge to +go whistling after him.</p> + +<p>But when the evening came, and the darkness +fell; when she had gone down to the alehouse, braving +his wrath, and found that he was not there, the woman +began to get hysterical. The lad who acted as assistant +had gone home, so she went out into the nearest stubble +herself, thinking that her husband must have finished +his round before lunch, and was somewhere in the +newly-reaped fields. But after walking about the +rustling stubble till she was weary, she came back to +the alehouse, and begged the men to tell her if they +had seen anything of him. Then they told her about +the white handkerchief which the slouching poacher +had seen in the wood that morning. She turned on +him like a tiger, and fiercely upbraided him; then +rushed from the house. The sloucher took up his +quart, and said that he saw "no call" to hurry.</p> + +<p>But some of the men went after the wife. The +keeper was found, and brought home on a cart, but not +before he had seen the owl go by, and the dark speck +of the bat passing to and fro overhead.</p> + +<p>All that day Bevis did not go to the copse, being +much upset with the cheat the weasel had played him, +and also because they said the grass and the hedges +would be so wet after the storm. Nor did anything +take place in the copse, for King Kapchack moped +in his fortress, the orchard, the whole day long, so +greatly was he depressed by the widespread treason +of which the owl had informed him.</p> + +<p>Choo Hoo, thinking that the treaty was concluded, +relaxed the strictness of discipline, and permitted his +army to spread abroad from the camp and forage for +themselves. He expected the return of the ambassador +with further communications, and ordered search to be +made for every dainty for his entertainment; while the +thrush, for whom this care was taken, had not only +ceased to exist, but it would have been impossible to +collect his feathers, blown away to every quarter.</p> + +<p>The vast horde of barbarians were the more pleased +with the liberty accorded to them, because they had +spent so ill a night while the gale raged through their +camp. So soon as the sun began to gleam through the +retreating clouds, they went forth in small parties, +many of which the keeper saw go over him while lying +helpless by the dead oak-tree.</p> + +<p>King Kapchack, after the owl had informed him of +the bewildering maze of treason with which he was +surrounded, moped, as has been said before, upon his +perch. In the morning, wet and draggled from the +storm, his feathers out of place, and without the spirit +to arrange them, he seemed to have grown twenty +years older in one night, so pitiable did he appear. +Nor did the glowing sun, which filled all other hearts +with joy, reach his gloomy soul. He saw no resource; +no enterprise suggested itself to him; all was dark at +noonday.</p> + +<p>An ominous accident which had befallen the aged +apple-tree in which his palace stood contributed to this +depression of mind. The gale had cracked a very +large <ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's Note: The original text reads 'bow'">bough</ins>, +which, having shown signs of weakness, +had for many years been supported by a prop carefully +put up by the farmer. But whether the prop in course +of time had decayed at the line where the air and earth +exercise their corroding influence upon wood; or +whether the bough had stiffened with age, and could +not swing easily to the wind; or whether, as seems +most likely, the event occurred at that juncture in order +to indicate the course of fate, it is certain that the +huge bough was torn partly away from the trunk, +leaving a gaping cavity.</p> + +<p>Kapchack viewed the injury to the tree, which had +so long sustained his family and fortune, with the +utmost concern; it seemed an omen of approaching +destruction so plain and unmistakable that he could +not look at it; he turned his mournful gaze in the +opposite direction. The day passed slowly, as slowly +as it did to the keeper lying beneath the oak, and the +king, though he would have resented intrusion with +the sharpest language, noticed with an increasing sense +of wrong that the court was deserted, and with one +exception none called to pay their respects.</p> + +<p>The exception was Eric, the favourite missel-thrush, +who alone of all the birds was allowed to frequent +the same orchard. The missel-thrush, loyal to the +last, came, but seeing Kapchack's condition, did not +endeavour to enter into conversation. As for the rest, +they did not venture from fear of the king's violent +temper, and because their unquiet consciences made +them suspect that this unusual depression was caused +by the discovery of their treachery. They remained +away from dread of his anger. Kapchack, on the other +hand, put their absence down to the mean and contemptible +desire to avoid a falling house. He observed that even +the little Te-te, the tomtit, and chief of the secret police, +who invariably came twice or thrice a day with an +account of some gossip he had overheard, did not arrive. +How low he must have fallen, since the common informers +disdained to associate with him!</p> + +<p>Towards the evening he sent for his son, Prince +Tchack-tchack, with the intention of abdicating in his +favour, but what were his feelings when the messenger +returned without him! Tchack-tchack refused to +come. He, too, had turned away. Thus, deserted by +the lovely La Schach, for whom he had risked his +throne; deserted by the whole court and even by his +own son; the monarch welcomed the darkness of the +night, the second of his misery, which hid his disgrace +from the world.</p> + +<p>The owl came, faithful by night as the missel-thrush +by day, but Kapchack, in the deepest despondency, +could not reply to his remarks. Twice the owl came +back, hoping to find his master somewhat more open to +consolation, and twice had to depart unsuccessful. At +last, about midnight, the king, worn out with grief, +fell asleep.</p> + +<p>Now the same evening the hare, who was upon the +hills as usual, as she came by a barn overheard some +bats who lived there conversing about the news which +they had learnt from their relations who resided in the +woods of the vale. This was nothing less than the +revelations the dying hawk had made of the treacherous +designs of Ki Ki and the weasel, which, as the owl +had suspected, had been partly overheard by the bats. +The hare, in other circumstances, would have rejoiced +at the overthrow of King Kapchack, who was no +favourite with her race, for he had, once or twice, out +of wanton cruelty, pecked weakly leverets to death, +just to try the temper of his bill. But she dreaded lest +if he were thrust down the weasel should seize the +sovereignty, the weasel, who had already done her so +much injury, and was capable of ruining not only +herself but her whole nation if once he got the supreme +power.</p> + +<p>Not knowing what to do herself for the best, away +she went down the valley and over the steep ridges in +search of a very old hare, quite hoar with age—an +astrologer of great reputation in those parts. For the +hares have always been good star-gazers, and the +whole race of them, one and all, are not without skill +in the mystic sciences, while some are highly charged +with knowledge of futurity, and have decided the fate +of mighty battles by the mere direction in which they +scampered. The old hare no sooner heard her information +than he proceeded to consult the stars, which +shone with exceeding brilliance that night, as they often +do when the air has been cleared by a storm, and +finding, upon taking accurate observations, that the +house of Jupiter was threatened by the approach of +Saturn to the meridian, he had no difficulty in pronouncing +the present time as full of danger and big +with fate.</p> + +<p>The planets were clearly in combination against +King Kapchack, who must, if he desired to avoid +extinction, avoid all risks, and hide his head, as it were, +in a corner till the aspect of the heavens changed. +Above all things let him not make war or go forth +himself into the combat; let him conclude peace, or at +least enter into a truce, no matter at what loss of +dignity, or how much territory he had to concede to +conciliate Choo Hoo. His person was threatened, the +knife was pointed at his heart; could he but wait +a while, and tide as it were over the shallows, he might +yet resume the full sway of power; but if he exposed +his life at this crisis the whole fabric of his kingdom +might crumble beneath his feet.</p> + +<p>Having thus spoken, the hoary astrologer went off +in the direction of Stonehenge, whose stones formed +his astrolabe, and the hare, much excited with the +communication she had received (confirmed as it was +too by the facts of the case), resolved to at once warn +the monarch of his danger. Calling a beetle, she +charged him with a message to the king: That he +should listen to the voice of the stars, and conclude +peace at no matter what cost, or at least a truce, submitting +to be deprived of territory or treasure to any +amount or extent, and that above all things he should +not venture forth personally to the combat. If he +hearkened he would yet reign; if he closed his ears the +evil influence which then threatened him must have its +way. Strictly enjoining the beetle to make haste, and +turn neither to the right nor the left, but to speed +straight away for the palace, she dismissed him.</p> + +<p>The beetle, much pleased to be employed upon so +important a business, opened his wing-cases, began to +hum, and increasing his pace as he went, flew off at +his utmost velocity. He passed safely over the hills, +descended into the valley, sped across the fields and +woods, and in an incredibly short space of time approached +the goal of his journey. The wall of the +orchard was in sight, he began to repeat his message to +himself, so as to be sure and not miss a word of it, +when going at this tremendous pace, and as usual, +without looking in front, but blundering onwards, he +flew with his whole force against a post. His body, +crushed by the impetus of its own weight, rebounded +with a snap, and he fell disabled and insensible to the +earth.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIII" id="CHAPTER_XIII"></a>CHAPTER XIII.</h2> + +<h3>THE COURTSHIP IN THE ORCHARD.</h3> + + +<p>The next morning Bevis's papa looking at the almanac +found there was going to be an eclipse of the sun, so +Bevis took a piece of glass (part of one of the many +window panes he had broken) and smoked it over a +candle, so as to be able to watch the phenomenon +without injury to his eyes. When the obscuration +began too, the dairy-maid brought him a bucket of +clear water in which the sun was reflected and could +be distinctly seen. But before the eclipse had proceeded +beyond the mere edge of the sun, Bevis heard +the champing of a bit, and the impatient pawing of +hoofs, and running up to the stable to see who it was, +found that his papa was just on the point of driving +over in the dog-cart to see another farmer (the very old +gentleman in whose orchard Kapchack's palace was +situated) about a load of straw.</p> + +<p>Bevis of course insisted upon going too, the smoked +glass was thrown aside, he clambered up and held the +reins, and away they went, the eclipse now counting +for nothing. After a while, however, as they went +swiftly along the road, they came to a hill, and from +the summit saw a long way off a vast shadow like +that cast by some immense cloud which came towards +them over the earth, and in a second or two arrived, +and as it were put out the light. They looked up and +the sun was almost gone. In its place was a dark +body, with a rim of light round it, and flames shooting +forth.</p> + +<p>As they came slowly down the hill a pheasant +crowed as he flew up to roost, the little birds retired to +the thickets, and at the farmyards they passed the fowls +went up to their perches. Presently they left the highway +and drove along a lane across the fields, which +had once been divided from each other by gates. Of +these there was nothing now standing but the posts, +some of which could hardly be said to stand, but declining +from the perpendicular, were only kept from +falling by the bushes. The lane was so rough and so +bad from want of mending that they could only walk +the impatient horse, and at times the jolting was +extremely unpleasant.</p> + +<p>Sometimes they had to stoop down in the trap to +pass under the drooping boughs of elms and other +trees, which not having been cut for years, hung over +and almost blocked the track. From the hedges the +brambles and briars extended out into the road, so +that the wheels of the dog-cart brushed them, and +they would evidently have entirely shut up the way +had not waggons occasionally gone through and +crushed their runners. The meadows on either hand +were brown with grass that had not been mown, +though the time for mowing had long since gone by, +while the pastures were thick with rushes and thistles. +Though so extensive there were only two or three cows +in them, and these old and poor, and as it were broken-down. +No horses were visible, nor any men at work.</p> + +<p>There were other fields which had once grown +wheat, but were now so choked with weeds as to be +nothing but a wilderness. As they approached the +farmhouse where the old gentleman dwelt, the signs of +desolation became more numerous. There were walls +that had fallen, and never been repaired, around whose +ruins the nettles flourished. There were holes in the +roofs of the sheds exposing the rafters.</p> + +<p>Trees had fallen and lay as they fell, rotting away, +and not even cut up for firewood. Railings had decayed +till there was nothing left but a few stumps; gates had +dropped from their hinges, and nothing of them remained +but small bits of rotten board attached to rusty +irons. In the garden all was confusion, the thistles +rose higher than the gooseberry bushes, and burdocks +looked in at the windows. From the wall of the house +a pear that had been trained there had fallen away, +and hung suspended, swinging with every puff; the +boughs, driven against the windows, had broken the +panes in the adjacent casement; other panes which +had been broken were stuffed up with wisps of hay.</p> + +<p>Tiles had slipped from the roof, and the birds went +in and out as they listed. The remnants of the tiles +lay cracked upon the ground beneath the eaves just as +they had fallen. No hand had touched them; the +hand of man indeed had touched nothing. Bevis, +whose eyes were everywhere, saw all these things in a +minute. "Why," said he, "there's the knocker; it +has tumbled down." It had dropped from the door as +the screws rusted; the door itself was propped up with +a log of wood. But one thing only appeared to have +been attended to, and that was the wall about the +orchard, which showed traces of recent mortar, and +the road leading towards it, which had not long since +been mended with flints.</p> + +<p>Now Bevis, as I say, noting all these things as +they came near with his eyes, which, like gimlets, went +through everything, was continually asking his papa +questions about them, and why everything was in such +a state, till at last his papa, overwhelmed with his +inquiries, promised to tell him the whole story when +they got home. This he did, but while they are now +fastening up the horse (for there was no one to help +them or mind it), and while Bevis is picking up the +rusty knocker, the story may come in here very well:—</p> + +<p>Once upon a time, many, many years ago, when +the old gentleman was young, and lived with his +mother at the farmhouse, it happened that he fell in +love. The lady he loved was very young, very beautiful, +very proud, very capricious, and very poor. She lived +in a house in the village little better than a cottage, +with an old woman who was said to be her aunt. As +the young farmer was well off, for the land was his +own, and he had no one to keep but his old mother, +and as the young lady dearly loved him, there seemed +no possible obstacle in their way. But it is well +known that a brook can never run straight, and thus, +though all looked so smooth, there were, in reality, +two difficulties.</p> + +<p>The first of these was the farmer's old mother, who +having been mistress in the farmhouse for very nearly +fifty years, did not like, after half-a-century, to give +place to a mere girl. She could not refrain from +uttering disparaging remarks about her, to which her +son, being fond of his mother, could not reply, though +it angered him to the heart, and at such times he used +to take down his long single-barrelled gun with brass +fittings, and go out shooting. More than once the +jealous mother had insulted the young lady openly in +the village street, which conduct, of course, as things +fly from roof to roof with the sparrows, was known all +over the place, and caused the lady to toss her head +like a filly in spring to show that she did not care for +such an old harridan, though in secret it hurt her pride +beyond expression.</p> + +<p>So great was the difficulty this caused, that the +young lady, notwithstanding she was so fond of the +handsome young farmer, who rode so well and shot so +straight, and could carry her in his arms as if she were +no more than a lamb, would never put her dainty foot, +which looked so little and pretty even in the rude shoes +made for her by the village cobbler, over the threshold +of his house. She would never come in, she said, +except as a wife, while he on his part, anxious as he +was to marry her, could not, from affection for his +mother, summon up courage to bring her in, as it were, +rough-shod over his mother's feelings.</p> + +<p>Their meetings, therefore, as she would not come +indoors, were always held in the farmer's orchard, +where was a seat in an arbour, a few yards in front of +which stood the ancient apple-tree in which Kapchack, +who was also very young in those days, had built his +nest. At this arbour they met every day, and often +twice a day, and even once again in the evening, and +could there chat and make love as sweetly as they +pleased, because the orchard was enclosed by a high +wall which quite shut out all spying eyes, and had a +gate with lock and key. The young lady had a duplicate +key, and came straight to the orchard from the +cottage where she lived by a footpath which crossed +the lane along which Bevis had been driven.</p> + +<p>It happened that the footpath just by the lane, on +coming near the orchard, passed a moist place, which +in rainy weather was liable to be flooded, and as this +was inconvenient for her, her lover had a waggon-load +of flints brought down from the hills where the hares +held their revels, and placed in the hollow so as to fill +it up, and over these he placed faggots of nut-tree +wood, so that she could step across perfectly clean and +dry. In this orchard, then, they had their constant +rendezvous; they were there every day when the +nightingale first began to sing in the spring, and when +the apple-trees were hidden with their pink blossom, +when the haymakers were at work in the meadow, +when the reapers cut the corn, and when the call of +the first fieldfare sounded overhead. The golden and +rosy apples dropped at their feet, they laughed and ate +them, and taking out the brown pips she pressed them +between her thumb and finger to see how far they +would shoot.</p> + +<p>Though they had begun to talk about their affairs +in the spring, and had kept on all the summer and +autumn, and though they kept on as often as the weather +was dry (when they walked up and down the long +orchard for warmth, sheltered by the wall), yet when +the spring came again they had not half finished. Thus +they were very happy, and the lady used particularly to +laugh at the antics of the magpie, who became so accustomed +to their presence as to go on with the repairs to +his nest without the least shyness. Kapchack, being +then very young and full of spirits, and only just +married, and in the honeymoon of prosperity, played +such freaks and behaved in so amusing a manner that +the lady became quite attached to him, and in order to +protect her favourite, her lover drove away all the +other large birds that came near the orchard, and +would not permit any one whatever to get up into +Kapchack's apple-tree, nor even to gather the fruit, +which hung on the boughs till the wind pushed it off.</p> + +<p>Thus, having a fortress to retreat to, and being so +highly honoured of men, Kapchack gave the reins to +his natural audacity, and succeeded in obtaining the +sovereignty. When the spring came again they had +still a great deal of talking to do; but whether the +young lady was weary of waiting for the marriage-ring, +or whether she was jealous of the farmer's mother, or +whether she thought they might continue like this for +the next ten years if she did not make some effort, or +whether it was the worldly counsels of her aunt, or +what it was—perhaps her own capricious nature, it is +certain that they now began to quarrel a little about +another gentleman.</p> + +<p>This gentleman was very rich, and the owner of a +large estate in the neighbourhood; he did not often +reside there, for he did not care for sport or country +life, but once when he came down he happened to see +the young lady, and was much attracted towards her. +Doubtless she did not mean any harm, but she could +not help liking people to admire her, and, not to go +into every little particular, in the course of time (and +not very long either) she and the gentleman became +acquainted. Now, when her own true lover was aware +of this, he was so jealous that he swore if ever he saw +them together he would shoot his rival with his long-barrelled +gun, though he were hung for it the next day.</p> + +<p>The lady was not a little pleased at this frantic +passion, and secretly liked him ten times better for it, +though she immediately resorted to every artifice to +calm his anger, for she knew his violent nature, and +that he was quite capable of doing as he had said. But +the delight of two strings to her bow was not easily to +be foregone, and thus, though she really loved the +farmer, she did not discourage the gentleman. He, on +his part, finding after a while that although she allowed +him to talk to her, and even to visit her at the cottage, +and sometimes (when she knew the young farmer was +at market) go for a walk with him, and once even came +and went over his grand mansion, still finding that it +was all talk, and that his suit got no further, he presently +bethought him of diamonds.</p> + +<p>He gave her a most beautiful diamond locket, which +he had had down all fresh and brilliant from London. +Now this was the beginning of the mischief. She +accepted it in a moment of folly, and wished afterwards +ten times that she had refused, but having once put it +on, it looked so lovely she could not send it back. She +could not openly wear it, lest her lover should see it, +but every morning she put it on indoors, and frequently +glanced in the glass.</p> + +<p>Nor is it any use to find fault with her; for in the +first place she has been dead many years, and in the +second she was then very young, very beautiful, and +living quite alone in the world with an old woman. +Now her lover, notwithstanding the sweet assurances +she gave him of her faithfulness, and despite the soft +kisses he had in abundance every day in the orchard, +soft as the bloom of the apple-trees, could not quite +recover his peace of mind. He did not laugh as he +used to do. He was restless, and the oneness of his +mind was gone. Oneness of mind does not often last +long into life, but while it lasts everything is bright. +He had now always a second thought, a doubt behind, +which clouded his face and brought a line into his forehead.</p> + +<p>After a time his mother, observing his depression, +began to accuse herself of unkindness, and at last resolved +to stand no longer in the way of the marriage. +She determined to quit the house in which she had +lived ever since she came to it a happy bride half-a-century +before. Having made up her mind, that very +morning she walked along the footpath to the young +lady's cottage, intending to atone for her former +unkindness, and to bring the girl back to lunch, and +thus surprise her son when he came in from the +field.</p> + +<p>She had even made up her mind to put up with the +cold reception she would probably meet with, nor to +reply if any hard words were used towards her. Thus +thinking, she lifted the latch, as country people do not +use much ceremony, and stepped into the cottage, +when what was her surprise to find the girl she had +come to see with a beautiful diamond locket about her +neck, gleaming in the sunshine from the open door! +She instantly understood what it meant, and upbraiding +the girl with her falseness, quitted the place, and lost +no time in telling her son, but first she took the precaution +of hiding his gun. As he could not find that +weapon, after the first storm of his jealous anger had +gone over he shut himself up in his room.</p> + +<p>The lady came the same evening to the rendezvous +in the orchard, but her lover did not meet her. She +came again next day, and in the evening; and again +the third day, and so all through the week, and for +nearly a month doing all she could without actually +entering the house to get access to him. But he +sullenly avoided her; once seeing her in the road, he +leaped his horse over the hedge rather than pass her. +For the diamond locket looked so like a price—as if she +valued a glittering bauble far above true love.</p> + +<p>At last one day she surprised him at the corner of +the village street, and notwithstanding that the people +(who knew all the story) were looking on, she would +speak to him. She walked by his side, and said: +"George, I have put the locket in the arbour, with a +letter for you. If you will not speak to me, read the +letter, and throw the locket in the brook."</p> + +<p>More she could not say, for he walked as fast as he +could, and soon left her behind.</p> + +<p>He would not go near the orchard all day, but at +last in the evening something prompted him to go. He +went and looked, but the locket and the letter were +not there.</p> + +<p>Either she had not left them as she had said, or +else some one had taken them. No one could enter +the orchard without a key, unless they went to the +trouble of bringing a ladder from the rickyard, and as it +was spring, there were no apples to tempt them to do +that. He thought, perhaps, his mother might have +taken his key and gone to the arbour, and there was a +terrible scene and bitter words between them—the first +time he had ever replied to her. The consequence was +that she packed a chest that very day, took a bag of +money, which in old-fashioned style she kept under her +bed, and left her home for ever; but not before she +had been to the cottage, and reviled the girl with her +duplicity and her falseness, declaring that if she had +not got the locket, she had not put it in the orchard, +but had sold it, like the hussy she was! Fortunately, +however, she added, George could now see through +her.</p> + +<p>The farmer himself, much agitated at his mother's +departure, made another search for the locket, and +mowed the grass in the orchard himself, thinking +that perhaps the lady had dropped it, or that it had +caught in her dress and dragged along, and he also took +the rake, and turned over every heap of dead leaves +which the wind had blown into the corners. But +there was no locket and no letter. At last he thought +that perhaps the magpie, Kapchack—as magpies were +always famous for their fondness for glittering things, +such as silver spoons—might have picked up the locket, +attracted by the gleaming diamonds. He got a ladder +and searched the nest, even pulling part of it to pieces, +despite Kapchack's angry remonstrances, but the locket +was not there.</p> + +<p>As he came down the ladder there was the young +lady, who had stolen into the orchard and watched his +operations. They stood and faced each other for a +minute: at least, she looked at him, <i>his</i> sullen gaze +was bent upon the ground. As for her, the colour +came and went in her cheek, and her breast heaved so +that, for a while, she could not speak. At last she said +very low: "So you do not believe me, but some day +you will know that you have judged me wrongly". +Then she turned, and without another word went +swiftly from the orchard.</p> + +<p>He did not follow her, and he never saw her again. +The same evening she left the village, she and the old +woman, her aunt, quietly and without any stir, and +where they went (beyond the market town) no one +knew or even heard. And the very same evening, too, +the rich gentleman who had given her the locket, and +who made an unwonted stay in his country home +because of her, also left the place, and went, as was said, +to London. Of course people easily put two and two +together, and said no doubt the girl had arranged to +meet her wealthy admirer, but no one ever saw them +together. Not even the coachman, when the gentleman +once more returned home years afterwards, though +the great authority in those days, could say what had +become of her; if she had met his master it was indeed +in some secret and mysterious manner. But the folk, +when he had done speaking, and had denied these +things, after he had quaffed his ale and departed, +nudged each other, and said that no doubt his master, +foreseeing the inquiries that would be made, had +bribed him with a pocketful of guineas to hold his +tongue.</p> + +<p>So the farmer, in one day, found himself alone; his +dear lady, his mother, and his rival were gone. He +alone remained, and alone he remained for the rest of +his days. His rival, indeed, came back once now and +then for short periods to his mansion; but his mother +never returned, and died in a few years' time. Then +indeed deserted, the farmer had nothing left but to +cultivate, and dwell on, the memory of the past. He +neglected his business, and his farm; he left his house +to take care of itself; the cows wandered away, the +horses leaped the hedges, other people's cattle entered +his corn, trampled his wheat, and fattened on his +clover. He did nothing. The hand of man was +removed, and the fields, and the house, and the owner +himself, fell to decay.</p> + +<p>Years passed, and still it was the same, and thus it +was, that when Bevis and his papa drove up, Bevis was +so interested and so inquisitive about the knocker, +which had fallen from the front door. One thing, and +one place only, received the owner's care, and that was +the orchard, the arbour, the magpie's nest, and the +footpath that led to the orchard gate. Everything else +fell to ruin, but these were very nearly in the same +state as when the young lady used to come to the +orchard daily. For the old gentleman, as he grew old, +and continued to dwell yet more and more upon the +happy days so long gone by, could not believe that she +could be dead, though he himself had outlived the usual +span of life.</p> + +<p>He was quite certain that she would some day come +back, for she had said so herself; she had said that +some day he would know that he had judged her +wrongly, and unless she came back it was not possible +for him to understand. He was, therefore, positively +certain that some day she would come along the old +footpath to the gate in the orchard wall, open it with +her duplicate key, walk to the arbour and sit down, and +smile at the magpie's ways. The woodwork of the +arbour had of course decayed long since, but it had +been carefully replaced, so that it appeared exactly the +same as when she last sat within it. The coping fell +from the orchard wall, but it was put back; the gate +came to pieces, but a new one was hung in its place.</p> + +<p>Kapchack, thus protected, still came to his palace, +which had reached an enormous size from successive +additions and annual repairs. As the time went on +people began to talk about Kapchack, and the extraordinary +age to which he had now attained, till, by-and-by, +he became the wonder of the place, and in +order to see how long he would live, the gentlemen +who had gamekeepers in the neighbourhood instructed +them to be careful not to shoot him. His reputation +extended with his years, and those curious in such +things came to see him from a distance, but could +never obtain entrance to the orchard, nor approach +near his tree, for neither money nor persuasion could +induce the owner to admit them.</p> + +<p>In and about the village itself Kapchack was viewed +by the superstitious with something like awe. His +great age, his singular fortune, his peculiar appearance—having +but one eye—gave him a wonderful prestige, +and his chattering was firmly believed to portend a +change of the weather or the wind, or even the dissolution +of village personages. The knowledge that he +was looked upon in this light rendered the other birds +and animals still more obedient than they would have +been. Kapchack was a marvel, and it gradually became +a belief with them that he would never die.</p> + +<p>Outside the orchard-gate, the footpath which crossed +the lane, and along which the lady used to come, was +also carefully kept in its former condition. By degrees +the nut-tree faggots rotted away—they were supplanted +by others; in the process of time the flints sunk into +the earth, and then another waggon-load was sent for. +But the waggons had all dropped to pieces except one +which chanced to be under cover; this, too, was much +decayed, still it held together enough for the purpose. +It was while this very waggon was jolting down from +the hills with a load of flints to fill this hollow that the +one particular flint, out of five thousand, worked its +way through a hole in the bottom and fell on the road. +And the rich old gentleman, whose horse stepped on it +the same evening, who was thrown from the dog-cart, +and whose discharged groom shot him in his house in +London, was the very same man who, years and years +before, had given the diamond locket to the young lady.</p> + +<p>In the orchard the old farmer pottered about every +day, now picking up the dead wood which fell from the +trees, now raking up the leaves, and gathering the fruit +(except that on Kapchack's tree), now mowing the +grass, according to the season, now weeding the long +gravel path at the side under the sheltering wall, up +and down which the happy pair had walked in the +winters so long ago. The butterflies flew over, the +swallows alighted on the topmost twigs of the tall pear-tree +and twittered sweetly, the spiders spun their webs, +or came floating down on gossamer year after year, but +he did not notice that they were not the same butterflies +or the same swallows which had been there in his +youth. Everything was the same to him within the +orchard, however much the world might change without +its walls.</p> + +<p>Why, the very houses in the village close by had +many of them fallen and been rebuilt; there was +scarcely a resident left who dwelt there then; even the +ancient and unchangeable church was not the same—it +had been renovated; why, even the everlasting hills +were different, for the slopes were now in many places +ploughed, and grew oats where nothing but sheep had +fed. But all within the orchard was the same; his +lady, too, was the same without doubt, and her light +step would sooner or later come down the footpath to +her lover. This was the story Bevis's papa told him +afterwards.</p> + +<p>They had some difficulty in fastening up the horse, +until they pulled some hay from a hayrick, and spread +it before him, for like Bevis he had to be bribed with +cake, as it were, before he would be good. They then +knocked at the front door, which was propped up with +a beam of timber, but no one answered, nor did even a +dog bark at the noise; indeed, the dog's kennel had +entirely disappeared, and only a piece of the staple to +which his chain had been fastened remained, a mere +rusty stump in the wall. It was not possible to look +into this room, because the broken windows were +blocked with old sacks to keep out the draught and +rain; but the window of the parlour was open, the +panes all broken, and the casement loose, so that it +must have swung and banged with the wind.</p> + +<p>Within, the ceiling had fallen upon the table, and +the chairs had mouldered away; the looking-glass on +the mantelpiece was hidden with cobwebs, the cobwebs +themselves disused; for as they collected the dust, the +spiders at last left them to spin new ones elsewhere. +The carpet, if it remained, was concealed by the dead +leaves which had been carried in by the gales. On +these lay one or two picture frames, the back part +upwards, the cords had rotted from the nails, and as +they dropped so they stayed. In a punch-bowl of +ancient ware, which stood upon the old piano untouched +all these years, a robin had had his nest. After Bevis +had been lifted up to the window-ledge to look in at +this desolation, they went on down towards the orchard, +as if the old gentleman was not within he was certain +to be there.</p> + +<p>They found the gate of the orchard open—rather an +unusual thing, as he generally kept it locked, even +when at work inside—and as they stepped in, they saw +a modern double-barrel gun leant against a tree. A +little farther, and Bevis caught sight of Kapchack's +nest, like a wooden castle in the boughs, and clapped +his hands with delight. But there was a ladder against +Kapchack's tree, a thing which had not been seen there +these years and years, and underneath the tree was the +old farmer himself, pale as his own white beard, and +only kept from falling to the ground by the strong +arms of a young gentleman who upheld him. They +immediately ran forward to see what was the matter.</p> + +<p>Now it had happened in this way. It will be +recollected that when the keeper fell from the dead oak-tree, +he not only disabled himself, but his gun going off +shot the dogs. Thus when the heir to the estate came +down the same evening, he found that there was +neither dog nor keeper to go round with him the next +day. But when the morning came, not to be deprived +of his sport, he took his gun and went forth alone into +the fields. He did not find much game, but he shot +two or three partridges and a rabbit, and he was so +tempted by the crowds of wood-pigeons that were +about (parties from Choo Hoo's army out foraging), +that he fired away the remaining cartridges in his +pocket at them.</p> + +<p>So he found himself early in the day without a +cartridge, and was just thinking of walking back to the +house for some more, when the shadow of the eclipse +came over. He stayed leaning against a gate to watch +the sun, and presently as he was looking up at it a +hare ran between his legs—so near, that had he seen +her coming he could have caught her with his hands.</p> + +<p>She only went a short way down the hedge, and he +ran there, when she jumped out of the ditch, slipped +by him, and went out fifty or sixty yards into the field, +and sat up. How he now wished that he had not shot +away all his ammunition at the wood-pigeons! While +he looked at the hare she went on, crossed the field, +and entered the hedge on the other side; he marked +the spot, and hastened to get over the gate, with the +intention of running home for cartridges. Hardly had +he got over, than the hare came back again on that +side of the hedge, passed close to him, and again leaped +into the ditch. He turned to go after her, when out +she came again, and crouched in a furrow only some +twenty yards distant.</p> + +<p>Puzzled at this singular behaviour (for he had never +seen a hare act like it before), he ran after her; and +the curious part of it was, that although she did indeed +run away, she did not go far—she kept only a few yards +in front, just evading him. If she went into a hedge +for shelter, she quickly came out again, and thus this +singular chase continued for some time. He got quite +hot running, for though he had not much hope of +catching the creature, still he wanted to understand the +cause of this conduct.</p> + +<p>By-and-by the zig-zag and uncertain line they +took led them close to the wall of the old gentleman's +orchard, when suddenly a fox started out from the +hedge, and rushed after the hare. The hare, alarmed +to the last degree, darted into a large drain which went +under the orchard, and the fox went in after her. The +young gentleman ran to the spot, but could not of +course see far up the drain. Much excited, he ran +round the orchard wall till he came to the gate, which +chanced to be open, because the farmer that day, +having discovered that the great bough of Kapchack's +tree had been almost torn from the trunk by the gale, +had just carried a fresh piece of timber in for a new +prop, and having his hands full, what with the prop +and the ladder to fix it, he could not shut the gate +behind him. So the sportsman entered the orchard, +left his gun leaning against a tree, and running down +to see if he could find which way the drain went, came +upon the old gentleman, and caught sight of the extraordinary +nest of old King Kapchack.</p> + +<p>Now the reason Ulu (for it was the very hare Bevis +was so fond of) played these fantastic freaks, and ran +almost into the very hands of the sportsman, was because +the cunning fox had driven her to do so for his own +purposes.</p> + +<p>After he learnt the mysterious underground saying +from the toad imprisoned in the elm, he kept on thinking, +and thinking, what it could mean; but he could +not make it out. He was the only fox who had a +grandfather living, and he applied to his grandfather, +who after pondering on the matter all day, advised him +to keep his eyes open. The fox turned up his nostrils +at this advice, which seemed to him quite superfluous. +However, next day, instead of going to sleep as usual, +he did keep his eyes open, and by-and-by saw a notch +on the edge of the sun, which notch grew bigger, until +the shadow of the eclipse came over the ground.</p> + +<p>At this he leaped up, recognising in a moment the +dead day of the underground saying. He knew where +Bevis's hare had her form, and immediately he raced +across to her, though not clearly knowing what he was +going to do; but as he crossed the fields he saw the +sportsman, without any dogs and with an empty gun, +leaning over the gate and gazing at the eclipse. With +a snarl the fox drove Ulu from her form, and so worried +her that she was obliged to run (to escape his teeth) right +under the sportsman's legs, and thus to fulfil the saying: +"The hare hunted the hunter".</p> + +<p>Even yet the fox did not know what was going to +happen, or why he was doing this, for such is commonly +the case during the progress of great events. The +actors do not recognise the importance of the part +they are playing. The age does not know what it is +doing; posterity alone can appreciate it. But after a +while, as the fox drove the hare out of the hedges, +and met and faced her, and bewildered the poor creature, +he observed that her zig-zag course, entirely +unpremeditated, was leading them closer and closer to +the orchard where Kapchack (whom he wished to overthrow) +had his palace.</p> + +<p>Then beginning to see whither fate was carrying +them, suddenly he darted out and drove the hare into +the drain, and for safety followed her himself. He +knew the drain very well, and that there was an outlet +on the other side, having frequently visited the spot in +secret in order to listen to what Kapchack was talking +about. Ulu, quite beside herself with terror, rushed +through the drain, leaving pieces of her fur against the +projections of the stones, and escaped into the lane on +the other side, and so into the fields there. The fox +remained in the drain to hear what would happen.</p> + +<p>The sportsman ran round, entered the gate, and +saw the old farmer trimming the prop, the ladder just +placed against the tree, and caught sight of the palace +of King Kapchack. As he approached a missel-thrush +flew off—it was Eric; the farmer looked up at this, +and saw the stranger, and was at first inclined to be very +angry, for he had never been intruded upon before, but +as the young gentleman at once began to apologise for +the liberty, he overlooked it, and listened with interest +to the story the sportsman told him of the vagaries of +the hare. While they were talking the sportsman +looked up several times at the nest above him, and +felt an increasing curiosity to examine it. At last he +expressed his wish; the farmer demurred, but the +young gentleman pressed him so hard, and promised +so faithfully not to touch anything, that at last the +farmer let him go up the ladder, which he had only +just put there, and which he had not himself as yet +ascended.</p> + +<p>The young gentleman accordingly went up the +ladder, being the first who had been in that tree for +years, and having examined and admired the nest, he +was just going to descend, when he stayed a moment +to look at the fractured bough. The great bough had +not broken right off, but as the prop gave way beneath +it had split at the part where it joined the trunk, leaving +an open space, and revealing a hollow in the tree. In +this hollow something caught his eye; he put in his +hand and drew forth a locket, to which an old and +faded letter was attached by a mouldy ribbon twisted +round it. He cast this down to the aged farmer, who +caught it in his hand, and instantly knew the locket +which had disappeared so long ago.</p> + +<p>The gold was tarnished, but the diamonds were as +bright as ever, and glittered in the light as the sun just +then began to emerge from the eclipse. He opened the +letter, scarce knowing what he did; the ink was faded +and pale, but perfectly legible, for it had been in a dry +place. The letter said that having tried in vain to get +speech with him, and having faced all the vile slander +and bitter remarks of the village for his sake, she had +at last resolved to write and tell him that she was +really and truly his own. In a moment of folly she +had, indeed, accepted the locket, but that was all, and +since the discovery she had twice sent it back, and it +had twice been put on her dressing-table, so that she +found it there in the morning (doubtless by the old +woman, her aunt, bribed for the purpose).</p> + +<p>Then she thought that perhaps it would be better +to give it to him (the farmer), else he might doubt that +she had returned it; so she said, as he would not speak +to her, she should leave it in the arbour, twisting the +ribbon round her letter, and she begged him to throw +the locket in the brook, and to believe her once again, +or she should be miserable for life. But, if after this he +still refused to speak to her, she would still stay a +while and endeavour to obtain access to him; and if +even then he remained so cruel, there was nothing left +for her but to quit the village, and go to some distant +relations in France. She would wait, she added, till +the new moon shone in the sky, and then she must go, +for she could no longer endure the insinuations which +were circulated about her. Lest there should be any +mistake she enclosed a copy of a note she had sent to +the other gentleman, telling him that she should never +speak to him again. Finally, she put the address of +the village in France to which she was going, and +begged and prayed him to write to her.</p> + +<p>When the poor old man had read these words, and +saw that after all the playful magpie must have taken +the glittering locket and placed it, not in his nest, but +a chink of the tree; when he learned that all these +years and years the girl he had so dearly loved must +have been waiting with aching heart for a letter of +forgiveness from him, the orchard swam round, as it +were, before his eyes, he heard a rushing sound like a +waterfall in his ears, the returning light of the sun +went out again, and he fainted. Had it not been for +the young gentleman, who caught him, he would have +fallen to the ground, and it was just at this moment +that Bevis and his papa arrived at the spot.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIV" id="CHAPTER_XIV"></a>CHAPTER XIV.</h2> + +<h3>THE GREAT BATTLE.</h3> + + +<p>Early the same morning when Kapchack awoke, he +was so much refreshed by the sound slumber he had +enjoyed, that much of his depression—the sharp edge +of his pain as it were—had passed away. The natural +vivacity of his disposition asserted itself, and seemed +to respond to the glory of the sunshine. Hungry from +his long fast, away he flew to well-known places reserved +for his own especial feeding-ground, and having +satisfied his appetite went up into a hawthorn, trimmed +his feathers, and began to think things over.</p> + +<p>He at once decided that something of an exceptional +character must be attempted in order to regain his +authority. Half measures, delays, and intrigues were +now in vain; some grand blow must be struck, such as +would fill all hearts with admiration or dismay. Another +treaty with Choo Hoo was out of the question, +for the overbearing rebel would throw in his face the +assassination of the envoy, and even could it be thought +of, who could he entrust with the mission? His +throne was completely surrounded with traitors. He +ground his beak as he thought of them, and resolved +that terrible indeed should be the vengeance he would +take if once he got them again into his power. The +hope of revenge was the keenest spur of all to him to +adventure something bold and unexpected; the hope +of revenge, and the determination that the house of +Kapchack should not fall without an effort worthy of a +monarch.</p> + +<p>He resolved to at once attack the mighty horde +Choo Hoo commanded with the only troops he could +get quickly together in this emergency. These were +the rooks, the praetorian guard of his state, the faithful, +courageous, and warlike tenth legion of his empire. +No sooner did he thus finally resolve than his whole +appearance seemed to change. His outward form in +some degree reflected the spirit within. His feathers +ruffled up, and their black and white shone with new +colour. The glossy green of his tail gleamed in the +sunshine. One eye indeed was gone, but the other +sparkled with the fire of war; he scented the battle, +and sharpened his bill against the bough.</p> + +<p>He only regretted that he had not taken this course +before, instead of idling in the palace, and leaving his +kingdom to the wiles of traitorous courtiers and delegates. +If he had only bestirred himself like the ancient +Kapchack of former days this extremity would not have +arisen. Even yet it was not too late; war was a +desperate and uncertain game, and it was not always +the greatest army, in point of numbers, that rejoiced +in the victory. He would trust in his fortune, and +swoop down upon the enemy. Calling to his body-guard, +he flew at once straight towards the plain, +where, at that time in the morning, he knew the main +body of the rooks would be foraging. Full of these +resolutions he did not observe the maimed beetle lying +helpless in the grass, but looking neither to the right +nor the left, taking counsel of no one—for to whom +could he apply for honest advice?—he winged his way +swiftly onward.</p> + +<p>In about half-an-hour he reached the plain, and saw +the rooks scattered over the ground; he rested here +upon the lower branch of an elm, and sent forward a +messenger, one of the eight magpies who attended him, +to tell the commander-in-chief to wait upon him. Upon +receiving the message, the general, hoping that at last +the king had decided upon action, since so abrupt +a summons to his side was somewhat unusual, flew +hastily to the elm and saluted the monarch. Kapchack, +without any preamble, announced his intention +of forming the rooks into column, and falling at once +upon the horde of barbarians. In the rooks, he said, +and their loyal commander, lay the last hope of the +state—he placed himself in their midst and relied upon +them solely and alone.</p> + +<p>Ah Kurroo Khan, the commander-in-chief, could +scarcely refrain from shouting with delight. He was +not only wild with the joy of coming combat, but this +straightforward speech and conduct went to his heart, +and never in all his long, long reign had Kapchack so +complete and autocratic an empire as at that moment +over the rooks.</p> + +<p>Ah Kurroo, when he had in some degree expressed +his pleasure at these commands, and the readiness with +which he placed himself and his army at Kapchack's +orders, proceeded first to pass the word to the legions +to fall into their ranks, and next to inform the monarch +of the position held by the enemy.</p> + +<p>They were, he said, dispersed in all directions +foraging, and discipline was much relaxed, insomuch +that several bands of them had even fallen to blows +amongst themselves. To attack these scattered positions, +which could individually be easily overwhelmed, +would be a mistake, for these reasons. The advantage +of destroying one or two such bands of marauders +would be practically nothing, and while it was being +accomplished the rest would carry the information to +Choo Hoo, and he would assemble his enormous horde. +Thus the chance of surprising and annihilating his +army would be lost.</p> + +<p>But it appeared that Choo Hoo's son, Tu Kiu, who +was also the second in command of the barbarians, +finding that already the country was becoming denuded +of supplies close to the camp, had during the previous +day, at his father's orders, marched a large division—in +itself an immense army—into a plain at a few miles' +distance, which was surrounded with the hills, and out +of sight from the camp. The best strategy therefore +open to Kapchack, was either to assail Choo Hoo's +camp, or else to fall upon the divisions of Tu Kiu.</p> + +<p>The difficulty in the case of the camp was that +amidst the trees the assailants would suffer as much +loss from crushing and confusion as would be inflicted +upon the enemy. It was impossible, when once involved +in a forest conflict, to know which way the +issue was tending. The battle became split up into a +thousand individual combats, discipline was of no avail, +no officer could survey the scene or direct the movements, +and a panic at any moment was only too +probable. On the other hand, the division of Tu Kiu +offered itself for annihilation. It was not only several +miles distant from the main body, but a range of hills +between prevented all view, and obstructed communication. +There was a route by which the plain could +be approached, through a narrow valley well sheltered +with woods, which would screen the advancing troops +from sight, and enable them to debouch at once into +the midst of the invaders. Without doubt, thus suddenly +attacked, Tu Kiu must give way; should victory declare +for them decisively, it was easy to foretell what +would happen. Tu Kiu falling back in disorder would +confuse the regiments of Choo Hoo coming to his +assistance, a panic would arise, and the incredible +host of the barbarians would encumber each other's +flight.</p> + +<p>Kapchack listened to the Khan with the deepest +attention, approved of all he had put forward, and gave +the order to attack Tu Kiu.</p> + +<p>Without a sound—for Ah Kurroo had strictly enjoined +silence, lest the unusual noise should betray +that something was intended—the legions fell into +rank, and at the word of command, suppressing even +the shout of joy which they wished so much to utter, +moved in a dense column to the southwards. Kapchack, +with his guards behind him, and Ah Kurroo +Khan at his side, led the van.</p> + +<p>The Khan secretly congratulated himself as he flew +upon his extraordinary good fortune, that he should +thus enter the field of battle unhampered with any +restrictions, and without the useless and unpleasant +companionship of a political officer, appointed by the +council of his nation. Well he knew that had Kapchack +given the least notice of his intention, the rook +council would have assembled and held interminable +discussions upon the best method of carrying out the +proposed object, ending, as usual, with a vote in +which mere numbers prevailed, without any reference +to reason or experience, and with the appointment +of a state official to overlook the conduct of the +general, and to see that he did not arrogate too much +to himself.</p> + +<p>Thus in fact the rooks were accustomed to act, lest +a commander should become too victorious. They +liked indeed to win, and to destroy the enemy, and to +occupy his territory, but they did not like all this to be +accomplished by one man, but the rather, at the very +zenith of his fame, provided him with an opportunity +for disgracing himself, so that another might take his +place and divide the glory. Ah Kurroo knew all this; +imagine, then, his joy that Kapchack without calling +parliament together had come direct to the camp, and +ordered an immediate advance. Himself choosing the +route, trusting to no guides, not even to his own intelligence +department, Ah Kurroo pointed the way, and +the legions with steady and unvarying flight followed +their renowned commander.</p> + +<p>The noise of their wings resounded, the air was +oppressed with their weight and the mighty mass in +motion. Then did Kapchack indeed feel himself every +feather a king. He glanced back—he could not see the +rear-guard, so far did the host extend. His heart +swelled with pride and eagerness for the fight. Now +quitting the plain, they wound by a devious route +through the hills—the general's object being to so +manage the march that none of them should appear +above the ridges. The woods upon the slopes concealed +their motions, and the advance was executed +without the least delay, though so great was their +length in this extended order that when the head of the +column entered the plain beyond, the rear-guard had +not reached the hills behind. This rendered their front +extremely narrow, but Ah Kurroo, pausing when he +had gone half-a-mile into the plain, and when the enemy +were already in sight, and actually beneath them, +ordered the leading ranks to beat time with their wings, +while their comrades came up.</p> + +<p>Thus, in a few minutes, the place where the narrow +valley debouched into the hill-surrounded plain, was +darkened with the deploying rooks. Kapchack, while +waiting, saw beneath him the hurrying squadrons of +Tu Kiu. From the cut corn, from the stubble, from +the furrows (where already the plough had begun its +work), from the green roots and second crops of clover, +from the slopes of the hills around, and the distant +ridges, the alarmed warriors were crowding to their +standards.</p> + +<p>While peacefully foraging, happy in the sunshine +and the abundance of food, without a thought of war +and war's hazards, they suddenly found themselves exposed, +all unprepared, to the fell assault of their black +and mortal enemies. The sky above them seemed +darkened with the legions, the hoarse shouts of command +as the officers deployed their ranks, the beating +of the air, struck them with terror. Some, indeed, +overwhelmed with affright, cowered on the earth; a +few of the outlying bands, who had wandered farthest, +turned tail and fled over the ridges. But the majority, +veterans in fight, though taken aback, and fully recognising +the desperate circumstances under which they +found themselves, hastened with all speed towards Tu +Kiu, whose post was in a hedge, in which stood three +low ash-trees by a barn. This was about the centre +of the plain, and thither the squadrons and companies +hurried, hoarsely shouting for their general.</p> + +<p>Tu Kiu, undismayed, and brave as became the son +and heir of the mighty Emperor Choo Hoo, made the +greatest efforts to get them into some kind of array +and order. Most fell into rank of their own accord +from long use and habit, but the misfortune was that +no sooner had one regiment formed than fresh arrivals +coming up threw all into disorder again. The crowd, +the countless multitude overwhelmed itself; the air was +filled, the earth covered, they struck against each other, +and Tu Kiu, hoarse with shouting, was borne down, +and the branch of ash upon which he stood broken +with the weight of his own men. He struggled, he +called, he cried; his voice was lost in the din and +clangour.</p> + +<p>Ah Kurroo Khan, soaring with Kapchack, while the +legions deployed, marked the immense confusion of +the enemy's centre. He seized the moment, gave the +command, and in one grand charge the whole army +bore swiftly down upon Tu Kiu. Kapchack himself +could scarce keep pace with the increasing velocity of +the charge; he was wrapped, as it were, around with +the dense and serried ranks, and found himself hurled +in a moment into the heart of the fight. Fight, indeed, +it could not be called.</p> + +<p>The solid phalanx of the rooks swept through the +confused multitude before them, by their mere momentum +cutting it completely in two, and crushing innumerable +combatants underneath. In a minute, in +less than a minute, the mighty host of Tu Kiu, the +flower of Choo Hoo's army, was swept from the earth. +He himself, wounded and half-stunned by the shock, +was assisted from the scene by the unwearied efforts of +his personal attendants.</p> + +<p>Each tried to save himself regardless of the rest; +the oldest veteran, appalled by such utter defeat, could +not force himself to turn again and gather about the +leaders. One mass of fugitives filled the air; the +slopes of the hills were covered with them. Still the +solid phalanx of Kapchack pressed their rear, pushing +them before it.</p> + +<p>Tu Kiu, who, weary and faint, had alighted for a +moment upon an ancient grass-grown earthwork—a +memorial of former wars—which crowned a hill, found +it necessary to again flee with his utmost speed, lest he +should be taken captive.</p> + +<p>It was now that the genius of Ah Kurroo Khan +showed itself in its most brilliant aspect. Kapchack, +intoxicated with battle, hurried the legions on to the +slaughter—it was only by personal interference that +the Khan could restrain the excited king. Ah Kurroo, +calm and far-seeing in the very moment of victory, +restrained the legions, held them in, and not without +immense exertion succeeded in checking the pursuit, +and retaining the phalanx in good order. To follow a +host so completely routed was merely to slay the slain, +and to waste the strength that might profitably be +employed elsewhere. He conjectured that so soon as +ever the news reached Choo Hoo, the emperor, burning +with indignation, would arouse his camp, call his army +together, and without waiting to rally Tu Kiu's division, +fly immediately to retrieve this unexpected disaster. +Thus, the victors must yet face a second enemy, far +more numerous than the first, under better generalship, +and prepared for the conflict.</p> + +<p>Ah Kurroo was, even now, by no means certain of +the ultimate result. The rooks, indeed, were flushed +with success, and impelled with all the vigour of victory; +their opponents, however brave, must in some degree +feel the depression attendant upon serious loss. But +the veterans with Choo Hoo not only outnumbered +them, and could easily outflank or entirely surround, +but would also be under the influence of his personal +leadership. They looked upon Choo Hoo, not as their +king, or their general only, but as their prophet, and +thus the desperate valour of fanaticism must be +reckoned in addition to their natural courage. Instead, +therefore, of relying simply upon force, Ah Kurroo, +even in the excitement of the battle, formed new +schemes, and aimed to out-general the emperor.</p> + +<p>He foresaw that Choo Hoo would at once march to +the attack, and would come straight as a line to the +battle-field. His plan was to wheel round, and, making +a detour, escape the shock of Choo Hoo's army for the +moment, and while Choo Hoo was looking for the +legions that had overthrown his son, to fall upon and +occupy his undefended camp. He was in hopes that +when the barbarians found their rear threatened, and +their camp in possession of the enemy, a panic would +seize upon them.</p> + +<p>Kapchack, when he had a little recovered from the +frenzy of the fray, fully concurred, and without a +minute's delay Ah Kurroo proceeded to carry out this +strategical operation. He drew off the legions for some +distance by the same route they had come, and then, +considering that he had gone far enough to avoid Choo +Hoo, turned sharp to the left, and flew straight for the +emperor's camp, sheltered from view on the side towards +it by a wood, and in front by an isolated hill, +also crowned with trees. Once over that hill, and +Choo Hoo's camp must inevitably fall into their hands. +With swift, steady flight, the dark legions approached +the hill, and were now within half-a-mile of it, when to +Ah Kurroo's surprise and mortification the van-guard +of Choo Hoo appeared above it, advancing directly +upon them.</p> + +<p>When the fugitives from the field of battle reached +Choo Hoo, he could at first scarce restrain his indignation, +for he had deemed the treaty in full force; he +exclaimed against the perfidy of a Power which called +itself civilised and reproached his host as barbarians, +yet thus violated its solemn compacts. But recognising +the gravity of the situation, and that there was no time +to waste in words, he gave orders for the immediate +assembly of his army, and while the officers carried out +his command flew to a lofty fir to consider a few +moments alone upon the course he should take.</p> + +<p>He quickly decided that to attempt to rally Tu Kiu's +division would be in vain; he did not even care to +protect its retreat, for as it had been taken so unawares, +it must suffer the penalty of indiscretion. To march +straight to the field of battle, and to encounter a solid +phalanx of the best troops in the world, elated with +victory, and led by a general like Ah Kurroo, and inspired, +too, by the presence of their king, while his own +army was dispirited at this unwonted reverse, would be +courting defeat. He resolved to march at once, but to +make a wide detour, and so to fall upon the rooks in +their rear while they were pursuing Tu Kiu. The +signal was given, and the vast host set out.</p> + +<p>Thus the two generals, striving to outwit each +other, suddenly found themselves coming into direct +collision. While fancying that they had arranged to +avoid each other, they came, as it were, face to face, +and so near, that Choo Hoo, flying at the head of his +army, easily distinguished King Kapchack and the +Khan. It seemed now inevitable that sheer force must +decide between them.</p> + +<p>But Choo Hoo, the born soldier, no sooner cast his +keen glance over the fields which still intervened, than +he detected a fatal defect in Kapchack's position. The +rooks, not expecting attack, were advancing in a long +dense column, parallel with, and close to, a rising +ground, all along the summit of which stood a row of +fine beech-trees. Quick as thought, Choo Hoo commanded +his centre to slacken their speed while facing +across the line the rooks were pursuing. At the same +time he sent for his left to come up at the double in +extended order, so as to outflank Ah Kurroo's column, +and then to push it, before it could deploy, bodily, and +by mere force of numbers, against the beeches, where +their wings entangled and their ranks broken by the +boughs they must become confused. Then his right, +coming up swiftly, would pass over, and sweep the +Khan's disordered army before it.</p> + +<p>This manœuvre, so well-conceived, was at once +begun. The barbarian centre slackened over the hill, +and their left, rushing forward, enclosed Ah Kurroo's +column, and already bore down towards it, while the +noise of their right could be heard advancing towards +the beeches above, and on the other side of which it +would pass. Ah Kurroo saw his danger—he could +discover no possible escape from the trap in which he +was caught, except in the desperate valour of his +warriors. He shouted to them to increase their speed, +and slightly swerving to his right, directed his course +straight towards Choo Hoo himself. Seeing his design—to +bear down the rebel emperor, or destroy him +before the battle could well begin—Kapchack shouted +with joy, and hurried forward to be the first to assail +his rival.</p> + +<p>Already the advancing hosts seemed to feel the +shock of the combat, when a shadow fell upon them, +and they observed the eclipse of the sun. Till that +moment, absorbed in the terrible work they were about, +neither the rank and file nor the leaders had noticed +the gradual progress of the dark semicircle over the +sun's disk. The ominous shadow fell upon them, still +more awful from its suddenness. A great horror seized +the serried hosts. The prodigy in the heavens struck +the conscience of each individual; with one consent +they hesitated to engage in carnage with so terrible a +sign above them.</p> + +<p>In the silence of the pause they heard the pheasants +crow, and the fowls fly up to roost; the lesser birds +hastened to the thickets. A strange dulness stole over +their senses, they drooped, as it were; the barbarians +sank to the lower atmosphere; the rooks, likewise +overcome with this mysterious lassitude, ceased to keep +their regular ranks, and some even settled on the +beeches.</p> + +<p>Choo Hoo himself struggled in vain against the +omen; his mighty mind refused to succumb to an +accident like this; but his host was not so bold of +thought. With desperate efforts he managed indeed to +shake off the physical torpor which endeavoured to +master him; he shouted "Koos-takke!" but for the +first time there was no response. The barbarians, +superstitious as they were ignorant, fell back, and lost +that unity of purpose which is the soul of an army. +The very superstition and fanaticism which had been +his strength was now Choo Hoo's weakness. His host +visibly melted before his eyes; the vast mass dissolved; +the ranks became mixed together, without order or +cohesion. Rage overpowered him; he stormed; he +raved till his voice from the strain became inaudible. +The barbarians were cowed, and did not heed him.</p> + +<p>The rooks, less superstitious, because more civilised, +could not, nevertheless, view the appearance of the sun +without dismay, but as their elders were accustomed to +watch the sky, and to deduce from its aspect the proper +time for nesting, they were not so over-mastered with +terror as the enemy; but they were equally subjected +by the mysterious desire of rest which seized upon +them. They could not advance; they could scarce +float in the air; some, as already observed, sought the +branches of the beeches. Ah Kurroo, however, bearing +up as well as he could against this strange languor, +flew to and fro along the disordered ranks, begging +them to stand firm, and at least close up if they could +not advance, assuring them that the shadow would +shortly pass, and that if they could only retain their +ranks victory was certain, for the barbarians were +utterly demoralised.</p> + +<p>The drowsy rooks mechanically obeyed his orders, +they closed their ranks as well as they could; they +even feebly cheered him. But more than this they +could not do. Above them the sun was blotted out, +all but a rim of effulgent light, from which shone forth +terrible and threatening flames. Some whispered that +they saw the stars. Suddenly while they gazed, oppressed +with awe, the woods rang with a loud cry, +uttered by Kapchack.</p> + +<p>The king, excited beyond measure, easily withstood +the slumberous heaviness which the rest could scarce +sustain. He watched the efforts of the Khan with +increasing impatience and anger. Then seeing that +although the army closed up it did not move, he lost +all control of himself. He shouted his defiance of the +rebels before him, and rushed alone—without one +single attendant—across the field towards Choo Hoo. +In amazement at his temerity, the rooks watched him +as if paralysed for a moment. Choo Hoo himself could +scarce face such supernatural courage; when suddenly +the rooks, as if moved by one impulse, advanced. The +clangour of their wings resounded, a hoarse shout arose +from their throats, they strained every nerve to overtake +and assist their king.</p> + +<p>Kapchack, wild with desperate courage, was within +twenty yards of Choo Hoo, when the dense column of +his own army passed him and crushed into the demoralised +multitude of the enemy, as a tree overthrown +by the wind crushes the bushes beneath it. Kapchack +himself whirled round and round, and borne he knew +not whither, scarce recognised whom he struck, but +wreaked his vengeance till his sinews failed him, and +he was forced to hold from sheer weariness. It is not +possible to describe the scene that now took place. +The whole plain, the woods, the fields, were hidden +with the hurrying mass of the fugitives, above and +mixed with whom the black and terrible legions dealt +destruction.</p> + +<p>Widening out as it fled, the host of Choo Hoo was +soon scattered over miles of country. None stayed to +aid another; none even asked the other the best route +to a place of safety; all was haste and horror. The +pursuit, indeed, only ended with evening; for seven +long hours the victors sated their thirst for slaughter, +and would hardly have stayed even then had not the +disjointed and weary fragments of Choo Hoo's army +found some refuge now in a forest.</p> + +<p>Choo Hoo himself only escaped from the ruck by +his extraordinary personal strength; once free from +the confused mass, his speed, in which he surpassed all +the barbarians, enabled him to easily avoid capture. +But as he flew his heart was dead within him, for there +was no hope of retrieving this overwhelming disaster.</p> + +<p>Meantime King Kapchack, when compelled by sheer +physical weariness to fall out from the pursuit, came +down and rested upon an oak. While he sat there +alone and felt his strength returning, the sun began to +come forth again from the shadow, and to light up the +land with renewed brilliance. His attendants, who +had now discovered his whereabouts, crowding round +him with their congratulations, seized upon this circumstance +as a fortunate omen. The dark shadow, +they said, was past; like the sun, Kapchack had +emerged to shine brighter than before. For once, +indeed, the voice of flattery could not over-estimate the +magnitude of this glorious victory.</p> + +<p>It utterly destroyed the invading host, which for +years had worked its way slowly into the land. It +destroyed the prestige of Choo Hoo; never again would +his race regard him as their invincible chief. It raised +the reputation of King Kapchack to the skies. It +crushed all domestic treason with one blow. If Kapchack +was king before, now he was absolutely autocratic.</p> + +<p>Where now was Ki Ki, the vainglorious hawk who +had deemed that without his aid nothing could be +accomplished? Where the villainous crow, the sombre +and dark designing Kauc, whose murderous poniard +would be thrust into his own breast with envy? Where +the cunning weasel, whose intrigues were swept away +like spiders' webs? Where were they all? They were +utterly at Kapchack's mercy. Mercy indeed! at his +<i>mercy</i>—their instant execution was already certain. +His body-guard, crowding about him, already began +the pæan.</p> + +<p>He set out to return to his palace, flushed with a +victory of which history furnishes no parallel. It +would have been well if he had continued in this +intention to at once return, summon his council, and +proclaim the traitors. Had he gone direct thither he +must have met Eric, the missel-thrush, who alone was +permitted to frequent the orchard. Eric, alarmed at +seeing a stranger in the orchard, and at the unprecedented +circumstance of his ascending the ladder into +the apple-tree, had started away to find the king, and +warn him that something unusual was happening, and +not to return till the coast was clear. He had not yet +heard of the battle, or rather double battle that morning, +nor did he know which way Kapchack had gone, +but he considered that most probably the woodpecker +could tell him, and therefore flew direct towards the +copse to inquire.</p> + +<p>If Kapchack had continued his flight straight to his +palace he would have passed over the copse, and the +missel-thrush would have seen him and delivered his +message. But as he drew near home Kapchack saw +the clump of trees which belonged to Ki Ki not far +distant upon his right. The fell desire of vengeance +seized upon him; he turned aside, intending to kill Ki +Ki with his own beak, but upon approaching nearer he +saw that the trees were vacant. Ki Ki, indeed, had +had notice of the victory from his retainers soaring in +the air, and guessing that the king's first step would be +to destroy him, had instantly fled. Kapchack, seeing +that the hawk was not there, again pursued his return +journey, but meantime the missel-thrush had passed +him.</p> + +<p>The king was now within a few hundred yards of +his fortress, the dome of his palace was already visible, +and the voices of his attendants rose higher and higher +in their strain of victory. The missel-thrush had seen +the woodpecker, who informed him that Kapchack had +just passed, and like the wind he rushed back to the +orchard. But all the speed of his wings was in vain, +he could not quite overtake the monarch; he shouted, +he shrieked, but the song of triumph drowned his cries. +Kapchack was close to the wall of the orchard.</p> + +<p>At the same time Bevis, not caring much about the +locket or the letter, or the old gentleman (whose history +he had not yet heard), while his papa spoke to, and +aroused the old gentleman from his swoon, had slipped +back towards the orchard-gate where was an irresistible +attraction. This was the sportsman's double-barrelled +gun, leant there against a tree. He could scarce keep +his hands off it; he walked round it; touched it; looked +about to see if any one was watching, and was just on +the point of taking hold of it, when the old gentleman +rushed past, but seeing the gun, stopped and seized it. +Finding, however, that it was not loaded, he threw it +aside, and went on towards the house. In a minute +he returned with the long single-barrelled gun, with +which, so many years before, he had vowed to shoot +his rival.</p> + +<p>He had heard the magpie returning, and mad with +anger—since it was the magpie's theft which had thus +destroyed the happiness of his life, for all might have +been well had he had the letter—he hastened for his +gun. As he came to the orchard-gate, Kapchack, with +his followers behind him, neared the wall. The +avenger looked along his gun, pulled the trigger, and +the report echoed from the empty, hollow house. His +aim was uncertain in the agony of his mind, and even +then Kapchack almost escaped, but one single pellet, +glancing from the bough of an apple-tree, struck his +head, and he fell with darkness in his eyes.</p> + +<p>The old gentleman rushed to the spot, he beat the +senseless body with the butt of his gun till the stock +snapped; then he jumped on it, and stamped the dead +bird into a shapeless remnant upon the ground. At +this spectacle Bevis, who, although he was always +talking of shooting and killing, could not bear to see +anything really hurt, burst out into a passion of tears, +lamenting the magpie, and gathering up some of the +feathers. Nor could they pacify him till they found +him a ripe and golden King Pippin apple to eat.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XV" id="CHAPTER_XV"></a>CHAPTER XV.</h2> + +<h3>PALACE SECRETS.</h3> + + +<p>Next day Sir Bevis, so soon as ever he could get away +after dinner, and without waiting for the noontide heat +to diminish, set out in all haste for the copse, taking +with him his cannon-stick. He was full of curiosity to +know what would happen now that Kapchack was dead, +who would now be king, and everything about it, all of +which he knew he should learn from the squirrel. He +took his cannon-stick with him heavily loaded, and the +charge rammed home well, meaning to shoot the +weasel; if the wretch would not come out when called +upon to receive the due punishment of his crimes, he +would bang it off into his hole in the tree, and, perhaps, +some of the shot would reach the skulking vagabond.</p> + +<p>He went up the field, reached the great oak-tree, +and crossed over to the corner of the wheat-field, but +neither the hare nor the dragon-fly were waiting about +to conduct him, as was their duty. He sat down on +the grass to see if they would come to him, but although +two dragon-flies passed over they did not stay to speak, +but went on their journey. Neither of them was his +guide, but they both went towards the copse. Immediately +afterwards a humble-bee came along, droning +and talking to himself as he flew. "Where is the +hare?" said Bevis; "and where is the dragon-fly?" +"Buzz," said the humble-bee, "the usual course on +occasions like the present—buzz—zz," the sound of +his voice died away as he went past without replying. +Three swallows swept by next at a great pace, chattering +as they flew.</p> + +<p>"Where's my dragon-fly?" said Bevis, but they +were too busy to heed him. Presently a dove flew +over too high to speak to, and then a missel-thrush, and +soon afterwards ten rooks, after whom came a whole +bevy of starlings, and behind these a train of finches. +Next a thrush came along the low hedge, then two +blackbirds, all so quick that Bevis could not make them +understand him. A crow too appeared, but catching +sight of Bevis's cannon-stick, he smelt the powder, +wheeled round and went by far to the left hand out of +talking distance. Still more starlings rushed overhead, +and Bevis waved his hand to them, but it was no use. +Just afterwards he saw a thrush coming, so he jumped +up, pointed his cannon-stick, and said he would shoot +if the thrush did not stop. Much frightened, the thrush +immediately perched on the hedge, and begged Bevis +not to kill him, for he remembered the fate of his +relation who was shot with the same cannon.</p> + +<p>"Tell me where the hare is, and where is my +dragon-fly," said Bevis; "and why are all the people +hurrying away towards the copse, and why don't they +stop and tell me, and what is all this about?"</p> + +<p>"I do not know exactly where the hare is," said +the thrush, "but I suppose she is in the copse too, and +I have no doubt at all the dragon-fly is there, and I am +going myself so soon as you will let me."</p> + +<p>"Why are you all going to the copse?" said Bevis. +"Is it because Kapchack is dead?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," said the thrush, "it is because the king is +dead, and there is going to be an election, that is if +there is time, or if it can be managed; for it is expected +that Choo Hoo will return now Kapchack is overthrown."</p> + +<p>"When did Choo Hoo go, then?" asked Bevis—for +he had not yet heard of the battle. So the thrush +told him all about it, and how strange it was that King +Kapchack in the hour of victory should be slain by the +very man who for so many years had protected him. +The thrush said that the news had no doubt reached +Choo Hoo very soon afterwards, and everybody expected +that the barbarians would gather together again, +and come back to take vengeance, and so, as they now +had no king or leader, they were all hastening to the +copse to take sanctuary from Choo Hoo. The only +doubt was whether the emperor would respect the +enclosure hitherto regarded by all the civilised people +as a place where they could meet without danger. +The barbarians knew nothing of these tacit agreements, +which make communication so easy and pleasant +among educated people. Still there was nothing else +they could do.</p> + +<p>"And what is going on in the copse?" said Bevis, +"and who is to be king?"</p> + +<p>"I cannot tell you," said the thrush, "I was just +going to see, and if possible to vote against Ki Ki, who +treacherously slew my friend and relation the ambassador, +whom the king sent to Choo Hoo."</p> + +<p>"We will go together," said Bevis, "and you can +tell me some more about it as we go along. One thing +is quite certain, the weasel will never be king."</p> + +<p>"Before I go with you," said the thrush, "you must +please leave off pointing that dreadful cannon-stick at +me, else I shall not be able to converse freely."</p> + +<p>So Bevis left off pointing it, and carried his gun +over his shoulder, just as he had seen his papa carry +his. The thrush flew slowly along beside him, but he +could not quite manage to keep at exactly the same +pace; his wings would carry him faster than Bevis +walked, so he stopped on the ground every now and +then for Bevis to come up.</p> + +<p>"I am sure," he said, "I hope the weasel will not +be king, and there is a rumour going about that he is +disabled by some accident he has met with. But I +greatly fear myself that he will be, notwithstanding +what you say, for he is so cunning, and has so terrible +a reputation that no one can prevail against him."</p> + +<p>"Pooh!" said Bevis, "don't tell me such stuff and +rubbish; I say the weasel shall not be king, for I am +going to shoot him as dead as any nail; after which +Pan shall tear him into twenty pieces."</p> + +<p>"But you tried to kill him once before, did you +not?" said the thrush.</p> + +<p>"You hold your tongue, this minute, you impudent +thrush," said Bevis, in a great rage; and he took his +cannon-stick off his shoulder, and looked so black that +the thrush, alarmed for his safety, took advantage of a +hedge being near, and slipped through it in a second.</p> + +<p>"I'm very glad you're gone," said Bevis, calling +after him, "but I'll shoot you next time I see you for +leaving me without permission."</p> + +<p>"And that will just serve him right," said a blackbird, +as he hastened by, "for the thrush is the greediest +bird in the world, and is always poaching about the +places that belong to me."</p> + +<p>Bevis was now very near the copse, and had not +the least difficulty in finding the little bridge over the +ditch, but he stopped before he crossed it, to listen to +the noise there was inside among the trees. Whenever +he had come before in the afternoon it was always so +quiet, but now there was a perfect uproar of talking. +Hundreds of starlings were chattering in the fir-trees, +and flying round the branches with incessant motion. +In the thick hedge which enclosed it there were +crowds of greenfinches, goldfinches, chaffinches, yellow-hammers, +and sparrows, who never ceased talking. +Up in the elms there were a number of rooks, who +were deliberating in a solemn manner; it was indeed +the rook council who had met there to consider as the +safest place, the very council that Ah Kurroo so much +disliked. Two or three dozen wood-pigeons cowered on +the lower branches of some ashes; they were the aliens +who dwelt in Kapchack's kingdom. Rabbits were +rushing about in all directions; dragon-flies darting up +and down with messages; humble-bees droning at +every corner; the woodpecker yelled out his views +in the midst of the wood; everything was in confusion.</p> + +<p>As Bevis walked into the copse along the green +track, with the tall thistles and the fern on each side of +him, he caught little bits here and there of what they +were saying; it was always the same, who was going +to be king, and what would Choo Hoo do? How long +would it be before the emperor's army could be got +together again to come sweeping back and exact a dire +vengeance for its defeat? Where was the weasel? +What was the last atrocity Ki Ki had committed? +Had anybody heard anything more of Kauc, the crow? +Had Prince Tchack-tchack arrived? Had the rooks +made up their mind?—and so on, till Bevis shook his +head and held his hands to his ears, so tremendous +was the din.</p> + +<p>Just then he saw his own dragon-fly and beckoned +to him; the dragon-fly came at once. "What is all +this?" began Bevis.</p> + +<p>"My dear, how are you?" interrupted the dragon-fly. +"I am so busy," and off he went again.</p> + +<p>"Well I never!" said Bevis, getting excited like +the rest, when the hare came across the path and +stopped to speak to him. "What is going on?" said +Bevis.</p> + +<p>"That is just what I want to know," said the hare. +"Everybody says that somebody is going to do something, +but what it is they do not themselves know. +There never was such a confusion, and, for aught we +know, Choo Hoo may be here any minute, and there's +not a single regiment in position."</p> + +<p>"Dear me!" said Bevis, "why ever don't they +begin?"</p> + +<p>"I cannot tell you," said the hare. "I don't +think anybody knows how: and the fact is, they are all +thinking about who shall be king, and intriguing for +the sovereignty, when they should be thinking of their +country, and providing for its defence."</p> + +<p>"And who is to be king?" said Bevis. "The +weasel shall not, that is certain; for I am just this +very minute going to shoot into his hole!"</p> + +<p>"It is no use to do that," said the hare; "though +I am very glad to hear you say that he shall not be +king. But it is no use shooting into his hole, for he is +not there, nor anywhere in his old haunts, and we are +all very suspicious as to what he is about. I think +you had better come and see the squirrel; he is in the +raspberries, and the jay is there too, and there is an +immense deal of talking going on."</p> + +<p>"So I will," said Bevis; and he followed the hare +to the raspberries (all the fruit was now gone), and +found the squirrel, who advanced to welcome him, and +the jay up in the oak. Being hot with walking in the +sun, Bevis sat down on the moss at the foot of the oak, +and leaned back against the tree whose beautiful boughs +cast so pleasant a shadow. The hare came close to +him on one side, and the squirrel the other, and the +jay perched just overhead, and they all began to tell +him the news at once. Not able to understand what +they meant while they were all speaking together, +Bevis held up his hands and begged them to stop a +minute, and then asked the squirrel to explain.</p> + +<p>"So I will," said the squirrel, "though I ought to +be hiding my stores as fast as I can from the voracious +host of barbarians, who will be here in a minute. But +what am I to do? for I cannot get anybody to help me—everybody +is thinking about himself."</p> + +<p>"But the story—the story!" said Bevis; "tell me +all about it."</p> + +<p>"Well, since I can do nothing," said the squirrel, +"I suppose I must, though there is not a great deal to +tell. You must know, then, that the news of Kapchack's +death got here in half-a-minute, for the missel-thrush +came with it, and from here it was all over the +country in less than an hour. Everybody knew it +except Ah Kurroo Khan and the victorious legions, and +Choo Hoo and the flying enemy. These were so busy, +the one with slaughter, and the other with trying to +escape, that they could not listen to what the swifts at +once flew to tell them, but continued to fight and fly +away till the evening, when the fragments of Choo +Hoo's army took refuge in the forest. Even then they +would not believe so extraordinary a circumstance, but +regarded the account that had reached them as one +of the rumours which always fly about at such times. +Choo Hoo continued to go from tree to tree deeper and +deeper into the forest.</p> + +<p>"Ah Kurroo Khan, calling off his legions, since +nothing further could be done, drew his victorious +army back to some isolated clumps and avenues, where +they intended to make their camp for the night. But +in the course of an hour the rumours increased so +much, and so many messengers arrived with the same +intelligence and additional particulars, that Ah Kurroo +Khan, dreading lest it should be true, sent out a +squadron to ascertain the facts.</p> + +<p>"Long before it could return, an envoy arrived from +the council of the rooks themselves, with an order to +Ah Kurroo Khan to retire at once, notwithstanding the +lateness of the evening, and that the sun was sinking.</p> + +<p>"With much disappointment (for he had hoped +to continue the pursuit, and entirely exterminate the +barbarians on the morrow), and not without forebodings +as to his own fate, Ah Kurroo reluctantly communicated +the order to his troops. The wearied +legions accordingly started on their homeward journey, +slowly passing over the fields which had witnessed the +conquest of the morning. The sun had already sunk +when their van reached the rooks' city, and Ah Kurroo +came to the front to deliver the report he had prepared +upon his way. As he approached the trees where the +council of the rooks was sitting, in dark and ominous +silence, an official stopped him, and informed him that +he had been dismissed from the command, degraded +from the rank he held, and the title of Khan taken +from him. He was to retire to a solitary tree at some +distance, and consider himself under arrest.</p> + +<p>"Thus they punished him for daring to move without +their orders (even at the direct instance of the +king), and thus was he rewarded for winning the +greatest battle known to history. The legions were +immediately disbanded, and each individual ordered to +his home. Meantime, the news had at last reached +Choo Hoo, but neither he, nor the fugitive host, could +believe it, till there arrived some of the aliens who had +dwelt with us, and who assured the barbarians that it +was correct. Directly afterwards, the intelligence was +confirmed by the retreat of Ah Kurroo Khan.</p> + +<p>"All that livelong night Choo Hoo, once more +beginning to hope, flew to and fro from tree to tree, +endeavouring to animate his host afresh with spirit for +the fight; and as messengers continually came in with +fresh particulars of the confusion in Kapchack's kingdom, +he began to succeed. Early this morning, when +the sun rose, the mystic syllables, 'Koos-takke,' resounded +once more; the forest was alive, and echoed +with the clattering of their wings, as the army drew +together and re-formed its ranks. The barbarians, +easily moved by omens, saw in the extraordinary death +of Kapchack the very hand of fate. Once more they +believed in their emperor; once more Choo Hoo +advanced at their head.</p> + +<p>"Not half-an-hour since a starling came in with +the intelligence that Choo Hoo's advanced guard had +already reached his old camp. We suppose the barbarians +will halt there a little while for refreshment, +and then move down upon us in a mass. Would you +believe it, instead of preparing for defence, the whole +state is rent with faction and intrigue! Yonder the +council of the rooks, wise as they are, are indeed +deliberating, having retired here for greater safety lest +their discussion should be suddenly interrupted by the +enemy; but the subject of this discussion is not how +to defend the country, but what punishment they shall +inflict upon Ah Kurroo. There is a difference of opinion. +Some hold that the established penalty for his offence +is to break his wings and hurl him helpless from the +top of the tallest elm. Some, more merciful, are for +banishment, that he be outlawed, and compelled to +build his nest and roost on an isolated tree, exposed to +all the insults of the crows. The older members of the +council, great sticklers for tradition, maintain that +the ancient and only adequate punishment is the +hanging up of the offender by one leg to a dead and +projecting branch, there to dangle and die of starvation, +a terror to all such evil-doers.</p> + +<p>"While they thus talk of torture the enemy is in +sight, and their own army, it is more than whispered, +is discontented and angry at the reception meted out to +the victorious Khan. But this, alas! is not all.</p> + +<p>"So soon as ever Ki Ki was certain that Kapchack +was really dead, he returned, and he has gathered to +himself a crew of the most terrible ruffians you ever +beheld. He has got about him all the scum of the +earth; all the blackguards, villains, vermin, cut-throat +scoundrels have rallied to his standard; as the old +proverb says: 'Birds of a feather flock together'. He +has taken possession of the firs, yonder, on the slope +(which are the property of my friend the jay), and +which command my copse. He has proclaimed himself +king, and seeks to obtain confirmation of his title by +terrorism. Already he has twice sent forth his murderous +banditti, who, scouring the fields, have committed +fearful havoc upon defenceless creatures. I am in +dread every minute lest he should descend upon the +copse itself, for he respects no law of earth or heaven.</p> + +<p>"At the same time Kauc, the crow, has come forth +in his true colours; he too has proclaimed himself +king. He has taken his stand in the trees by the +Long Pond—you came close by them just now—they +are scarce a quarter of a mile hence. To our astonishment, +he has got at least thrice as many retainers as he +is entered to have in the roll which was read before +Kapchack. He had reckoned, it seems, upon the assistance +of Cloctaw, of St. Paul's, who has great influence +among the jackdaws. Cloctaw, however, avoided him +and came hither, and Kauc vows he will destroy him.</p> + +<p>"I know not which is most formidable, the violent +Ki Ki or the ruthless Kauc. The latter, I feel sure, is +only waiting till he sees an opening to rush in and +slaughter us. There is not a generous sentiment in his +breast; he would not spare the fledgling in the nest. +Between these two, one on either hand, we are indeed +in a fearful predicament; Choo Hoo is to be preferred +to them.</p> + +<p>"Whether Raoul, the rat, intends to strike a blow +for the throne, I know not; he is here; he bears an +evil character, but for myself I like him far better than +Kauc or Ki Ki. The fox is, of course, out of the +question. But my great fear is the weasel; should he +obtain the throne which of us will be safe? By night +as well as by day we shall be decimated. His Machiavellian +schemes, indeed, have thus far gone astray, and +although he could arrange for everything, he could not +foresee his own illness. Yet, though lying by now +with a broken rib and other injuries, I have not the +least doubt he is weaving new webs and preparing fresh +deceptions. Thus, while the invader threatens us +hourly, the kingdom of Kapchack is torn to pieces with +the dissensions of those who should defend it."</p> + +<p>"But why does not Prince Tchack-tchack take the +throne and be king?" said Bevis. "He is the heir; +he is Kapchack's son."</p> + +<p>"So he ought," said the squirrel; "but the truth +is, people are weary of the rule of the magpies; nor is +this young and flighty prince capable of taking up the +reins of state. He is vain, and dissipated, and uncertain—no +one can depend upon him. And besides, even +if they could, have you not heard the extraordinary +secret he has let out, like the great lout he is, and of +which everybody is talking?"</p> + +<p>"No," said Bevis; "I have heard nothing—how +should I? I have only just got here. What is the +secret? Tell me the secret this minute."</p> + +<p>"To think," said the jay, "that we should have +been so long deceived. But I had my suspicions."</p> + +<p>"I cannot say I suspected anything," said the hare; +"but I remember Kauc did make a very curious remark +on one occasion; he was always looking askew into +things and places that did not concern him, so that I +did not much heed, especially as he had started slanders +about me."</p> + +<p>"Well," said the jay, "the truth is, my wife—she +is, you know, the most beautiful creature in the world, +and quite turned the head of the late monarch—told +me that she all along had her ideas; and Kapchack +himself indeed told her in confidence that he was not +so old as he looked, being jealous of the youth of Tchack-tchack, +who objected to having his eye pecked out, and +his feathers ruffled, as if he had any claims to be +handsome;" and the jay surveyed his own bright +feathers with pride.</p> + +<p>"You stupids!" said Bevis, "what is the use of +talking in that way? I want to know the secret."</p> + +<p>"There is no secret," said the jay; "and I am not +stupid. How can there be a secret, when everybody +knows it?"</p> + +<p>"Hush! hush!" said the hare, trying to make +peace; "do not let us quarrel, at all events, if all the +rest do."</p> + +<p>"No," said the squirrel; "certainly not."</p> + +<p>"Certainly not," repeated the jay.</p> + +<p>"Well, what is it, then?" said Bevis, still frowning.</p> + +<p>"The fact is," said the squirrel, "Tchack-tchack +has babbled out the great state secret. I myself knew +a little of it previously, having overheard the crow +muttering to himself—as Ulu said, he peers into things +that do not concern him. And, if you remember, +Bevis, I was in a great fright one day when I nearly +let it out myself. Now Prince Tchack-tchack, finding +that he could not get the crown, has babbled everything +in his rage, and the beautiful jay has told us +many things that prove it to be true. It now turns +out that Kapchack was not Kapchack at all."</p> + +<p>"Not Kapchack!" said Bevis. "How could Kapchack +not be Kapchack, when he was Kapchack?"</p> + +<p>"Kapchack could not be Kapchack," said the +squirrel, "because he never was Kapchack."</p> + +<p>"Then who was Kapchack?" said Bevis, in amazement.</p> + +<p>"Well, he was not who he was," said the squirrel; +"and I will tell you why it was that he was not, if +you will listen, and not keep interrupting, and asking +questions. The reed once told you how stupid it is +to ask questions; you would understand everything +very well, if you did not trouble to make inquiries. +The king who is just dead, and who was called Kapchack, +was not Kapchack, because the real old original +Kapchack died forty years ago."</p> + +<p>"What?" said Bevis.</p> + +<p>"Extraordinary!" said the jay.</p> + +<p>"Extraordinary!" said the hare.</p> + +<p>"But true," said the squirrel. "The real old original +Kapchack, the cleverest, cunningest, most consummate +schemer who ever lived, who built the palace in the +orchard, and who played such fantastic freaks before +the loving couple, who won their hearts, and stole +their locket and separated them for ever (thinking that +would serve his purpose best, since if they married +they would forget him, and have other things to think +about, while if they were apart he should be regarded +as a sacred souvenir), this marvellous genius, the +founder of so illustrious a family, whose dominion +stretched from here to the sea—I tell you that <i>this</i> +Kapchack, the real old original one, died forty years +ago.</p> + +<p>"But before he died, being so extremely cunning, he +made provision for the continuation of himself in this +way. He reflected that he was very old, and that a +good deal of the dignity he enjoyed was due to that +fact. The owner of the orchard and warden of his +fortress regarded him with so much affection, because +in his youth he had capered before the young lady +whom he loved. It was not possible for the old +gentleman to transfer this affection to a young and +giddy magpie, who had not seen any of these former +things. Nor, looking outside the orchard wall, was it +probable that the extensive kingdom he himself enjoyed +would pass under the sway of a youthful prince in its +entirety.</p> + +<p>"Some of the nobles would be nearly certain to +revolt: the empire he had formed with so much labour, +ingenuity, and risk, would fall to pieces, the life of one +ruler not being sufficiently long to consolidate it. The +old king, therefore, as he felt the years pressing heavy +upon him, cast about in his mind for some means of +securing his dynasty.</p> + +<p>"After long cogitation one day he called to him his +son and heir, a very handsome young fellow, much like +the Tchack-tchack whom we know, and motioning him +to come close, as if about to whisper in his ear, +suddenly pecked out his left eye. The vain young +prince suffered not only from the physical pain, but +the intense mortification of knowing that his beauty +was destroyed for ever. If he wanted even to look at +himself in the pond, before he could see his own reflection, +he had to turn his head upon one side. He +bitterly upbraided his unnatural father for this cruel +deed: the queen joined in the reproaches, and the +palace resounded with rage and lamentation.</p> + +<p>"Old King Kapchack the First bore all this disturbance +with equanimity, sustained by the conviction that +he had acted for the welfare of the royal house he had +founded. After a time, when the young one-eyed +prince ceased to complain, and was only sullen, he +seized an opportunity when they were alone in the +apple-tree, and explained to him the reason why he had +done it.</p> + +<p>"'I,' said he, 'I have founded this house, and +through me you are regarded everywhere as of royal +dignity; but if I were gone, the wicked and traitorous +world which surrounds the throne would certainly +begin to conspire against you on account of your youth; +nor would the warden of this orchard take any interest +or defend you, as you were not the witness of the +caresses bestowed upon him by his young lady. If you +look at me, you will see that a wound, received in the +wars which I waged long since, extinguished my left +eye. You will also see that my tail is not, to say the +least, either so glossy or so ample as of yore, and my +neck and temples are somewhat bare, partly because in +those wars I received divers swashing blows upon my +head, and partly because of my increasing age.'</p> + +<p>"The prince looked at him, and remarked that he +certainly was a draggled old scarecrow. Not the least +annoyed by this unfilial expression, the old king proceeded +to show his heir how, in order for him, first, to +retain the kingdom, and secondly, to keep the interest +of the old gentleman owner of the orchard, it was +necessary for him to present the same appearance as +Kapchack himself did. 'In short,' said he, 'when I +die you must be ready to take my place, and to look +exactly like me.' The prince began to see the point, +and even to admire the cunning of his father, but still +he could not forgive the loss of his eye.</p> + +<p>"'Ah!' said Kapchack I., 'you see I was obliged to +take you upon the hop, otherwise it would never have +been accomplished; no persuasion could have induced +you to submit to such a deprivation, and, now I am +about it, let me advise you, indeed, strictly enjoin upon +you, when it becomes your turn, and you, too, are old +and failing, to do the same as I did. Do not tell your +son and heir what you are going to do, or depend upon +it he will slip aside and avoid you; but do it first. +And now, since you have already so far the same +bleared aspect as myself, you will feel no difficulty in +submitting to certain curtailments behind, and to the +depilation of your head and neck.'</p> + +<p>"Well, the result was, that the prince, full of +ambition, and determined to rule at any price, in the +end submitted to these disfigurations; the only thing +he groaned over was the fear that none of the young +lady magpies would now have anything to say to him.</p> + +<p>"'My dear and most dutiful son,' said the old king, +greatly pleased at the changed attitude of his heir, 'I +assure you that you will not experience any loss of +attention upon that score. It is in early youth indeed +a very prevalent mistake for gaudy young fellows (as +you appeared the other day) to imagine that it is the gloss +of their feathers, the brilliance of their eyes, and the +carriage of their manly forms that obtains for them the +smiles and favours of the fair. But, believe me, this +gratifying idea is not founded on fact; it is not the +glossy feather, or the manly form, my son, it is the +wealth that you possess, and even more than that, the +social dignity and rank, which is already yours, that +has brought a circle of charming darlings around +you.</p> + +<p>"'It is certainly somewhat mortifying to feel that it +is not ourselves they care for, but merely the gratification +of their own vanity. Of course you must bury +this profound secret in your own breast. But if you +ponder over what I have said you will soon see how +you can use this knowledge to your own advantage. +And it will at least save you from the folly of really +falling in love, than which, my most dutiful son, there +is no disease so terrible, and so lasting in its effects, as +witness that drivelling fool who keeps this orchard for +us, and surrounds our palace as with an impregnable +fortification. Believe me, notwithstanding your now +antique appearance—except at very close quarters, and +without close examination (I don't think you have +quite as many crow's-feet round your cyclopean eye as +myself), it is not possible to distinguish you from me—believe +me, in spite of this, the circle of charming +darlings, reflecting that you are the heir to the greatest +crown in the universe, will discover that you are even +more attractive than before.'</p> + +<p>"The prince in a day or two found that the old +king was right, and recovered much of his former spirit. +As for the old king, having provided for his dynasty, +and feeling certain that his royal house would now +endure, he feasted and laughed, and cracked the oddest +jokes you ever heard. One afternoon, after spending +the whole time in this way, he recollected that he had +not yet informed his heir of one important secret, +namely, the entrance to his treasure house.</p> + +<p>"This was a chink, covered over with an excrescence +of the bark, in the aged apple-tree, at the juncture of a +large bough (the very bough that was lately cracked by +the hurricane), and it was here that he had accumulated +the spoils of the many expeditions he had undertaken, +the loot of provinces and the valuable property he had +appropriated nearer home, including the diamond +locket. So cunningly had he chosen his treasure vault +that not one of all his courtiers, not even his queens, +could ever discover it, though they were all filled with +the most intense desire and burning cupidity. The +monarch thoroughly enjoyed the jest, for all the time +they were sitting right over it, and that was, no doubt, +why they could not see it, being under their feet. +Well, the old king recollected that afternoon that he +had not communicated the secret to his heir, and +decided that the time had come when it was necessary +to do so. He therefore gave out that he felt sleepy +after so much feasting, and desired his friends to leave +him alone for a while, all except the missel-thrush (not +the present, of course, but his ancestor).</p> + +<p>"Accordingly they all flew away to flirt in the +copse, and so soon as the court was clear the king told +the missel-thrush to go and send his son to him, as he +had something of importance to communicate in private. +The missel-thrush did as he was bid, and in about half-an-hour +the young prince approached the palace. But +when he came near he saw that the king, overcome +perhaps by too much feasting, had dozed off into +slumber. As it was a rule in the palace that the +monarch must never be awakened, the prince perched +silently close by.</p> + +<p>"Now, while he was thus sitting waiting for the +king to wake up, as he watched him it occurred to him +that if any one came by—as the warden of the orchard +and—saw the two magpies up in the tree, he would +wonder which was which. Instead of one old Kapchack, +lo! there would be two antique Kapchacks.</p> + +<p>"Thought the prince: 'The king is very clever, +exceedingly clever, but it seems to me that he has +overreached himself. For certainly, if it is discovered +that there are two old ones about, inquiries will be +made, and a difficulty will arise, and it is not at all +unlikely that one of us will be shot. It seems to me +that the old fellow has lived a little too long, and that +his wits are departing (here he gave a quiet hop closer), +and gone with his feathers, and it is about time I +succeeded to the throne. (Another hop closer.) In +an empire like this, so recently founded, the sceptre +must be held in vigorous claws, and upon the whole, +as there is no one about——' He gave a most tremendous +peck upon the poor old king's head, and Kapchack +fell to the ground, out of the tree, stone dead upon the +grass.</p> + +<p>"The prince turned his head upon one side, and +looked down upon him; then he quietly hopped into +his place, shut his eye, and dozed off to sleep. By-and-by +the courtiers ventured back by twos and threes, and +gathered on the tree, respectfully waiting till he should +awake, and nodding, and winking, and whispering to +each other about the body in the grass. Presently his +royal highness woke up, yawned, complained that the +gout grew worse as he got older, and asked for the +prince, who had been sitting by him just now. Then +looking round and seeing that all were a little constrained +in their manner, he glanced in the same +direction they did, and exclaimed that there was his +poor son and heir lying in the grass!</p> + +<p>"With great lamentation he had the body laid out +in state, and called in the court physicians to examine +how the prince (for so he persisted in calling the dead +monarch) came by his fate. Now, there was no disguising +the fact that the deceased had been most foully +murdered, for his skull was driven in by the force of +the blow; but you see those were dangerous times, and +with a despotic king eyeing them all the while, what +could the physicians do? They discovered that there +was a small projecting branch which had been broken +off half-way down the tree and which had a sharp edge, +or splinter, and that this splinter precisely fitted the +wound in the head. Without doubt the prince had +been seized with sudden illness, had fallen and struck +his head against the splinter. It was ordered that this +bough should be at once removed. Kapchack raised +a great lamentation, as he had lost his son and heir, +and in that character the dead monarch was ceremoniously +interred in the royal vaults, which are in the +drain the hunted hare took refuge in under the orchard.</p> + +<p>"And so complete was the resemblance the prince +bore to his dead parent, owing to the loss of his eye and +the plucking of his feathers, that for the most part the +courtiers actually believed that it really was the prince +they had buried, and all the common people accepted +it without doubt. One or two who hinted at a suspicion +when they were alone with Kapchack the Second +received promises of vast rewards to hold their tongues; +and no sooner had they left his presence than he had +them assassinated. Thus the dynasty was firmly consolidated, +just as the dead founder had desired, though +in rather a different manner to what he expected.</p> + +<p>"But the new (or as he appeared the old) king had +not been many days on the throne when he remembered +the immense treasure of which his parent had +been possessed. Sending every one away on one +pretext and another, he searched the palace from attic +to basement, peeped into all the drawers his father had +used, turned over every document, sounded every wall, +bored holes in the wainscot, ripped up the bark, and +covered himself with dust in his furious endeavours to +find it. But though he did this twenty times, though +he examined every hollow tree within ten miles, and +peered into everything, forcing even the owl's ancestor +to expose certain skeletons that were in his cupboard, +yet could he never find it.</p> + +<p>"And all the while the greatest difficulty he encountered +was to hold his tongue; he did not dare let +out that he was looking for the treasure, because, of +course, everybody thought that he was Kapchack, the +same who had put it away. He had to nip his tongue +with his beak till it bled to compel himself by sheer +pain to abstain from reviling his predecessor. But it +was no good, the treasure could not be found. He gave +out that all this searching was to discover an ancient +deed or treaty by which he was entitled to a distant +province. As the deed could not be found (having +never existed), he marched his army and took the +province by force. And, will you believe it, my friends, +the fact is that from that time to this (till the hurricane +broke the bough the other day) none of the King Kapchacks +have had the least idea where their treasure +was. They have lived upon credit.</p> + +<p>"Everybody knew there was a treasure, and as time +went on and new generations arose, it became magnified +as the tale was handed down, till only lately, as +you know, the whole world considered that Kapchack +possessed wealth the like of which had never been seen. +Thus it happened that as each succeeding Kapchack +got farther and farther away from the reality and lost +all trace of the secret, the fame of these riches increased. +But to return. In course of years this Kapchack also +found himself growing old, and it became his turn to +prepare a son and heir for the throne by pecking out +his left eye, and denuding him of his tail feathers. I need +not go into further details; suffice it to say the thing +was managed, and although the old fellows well knew +their danger and took all sorts of precautions, the +princes thus mutilated always contrived to assassinate +their parents, and thus that apple-tree has been the +theatre of the most awful series of tragedies the earth +has ever known.</p> + +<p>"Down to the last King Kapchack, the thing was +always managed successfully, and he was the sixth who +had kept up the deception. But the number six seems +in some way fatal to kings, the sixth always gets into +trouble, and Kapchack VI. proved very unfortunate. +For in his time, as you know, Choo Hoo arose, the +kingdom was invaded, and quite half of it taken from +him. Whether he shrank from the risk attending the +initiation of Prince Tchack-tchack (his heir) I do not +know, but for some reason or other he put it off from +time to time, till the prince in fact grew rather too old +himself, and too cunning, and getting about with disreputable +companions—that gross old villain Kauc, the +crow, for one—it is just possible that some inkling of +the hereditary mutilation in store for him was insinuated +(for his own purposes) by that vile wretch.</p> + +<p>"Still, most likely, even if he had known of it he +would have come in time to submit (so powerful a +motive is ambition) rather than lose the crown, had +not it happened that both he and Kapchack fell violently +in love with the beautiful young jay, La Schach. +Very naturally and very excusably, being so young and +so beautiful, she was perhaps just a little capricious. +Jealous to the last degree, old King Kapchack told her +the secret, and that he really was not nearly so old as +the world believed him to be—he was the sixth of the +race, and not the original antiquity. No doubt the +beauty laughed in her sleeve at him, and just for fun +told Tchack-tchack all about it, and that she would +never marry a one-eyed bird. Kapchack, full of jealousy, +bethought him that it was high time to destroy +his heir's good looks, so he attempted to peck out his +left eye in accordance with the usage of the house.</p> + +<p>"But Tchack-tchack, having now learnt the secret, +vain of his beauty, and determined to have the lovely +jay at any cost, was alive to the trick, and eluded his +parent. This was the reason why Tchack-tchack +towards the last would never go near the palace. Thus +it happened that the hereditary practice was not resorted +to, for poor old Kapchack VI. fell, as you know, +in the very hour of victory. Tchack-tchack, who has +both eyes, and the most glossy tail, and a form of the +manliest beauty, is now at this minute chattering all +round the copse in a terrible rage, and quite beside +himself, because nobody will vote for him to be king, +especially since through the breaking of the bough +the vaunted treasure is at last revealed and found to +consist of a diamond locket and one silver spoon—a +hollow business you see—so that he has no money, +while the beautiful jay has just been united to our +friend here—and, goodness me, here she comes in a +flutter!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVI" id="CHAPTER_XVI"></a>CHAPTER XVI.</h2> + +<h3>THE NEW KING.</h3> + + +<p>Up came the lovely young bride, full of news, and +told them that the most extraordinary thing had just +happened.</p> + +<p>"Whatever is it, my love?" said her husband.</p> + +<p>"Quick, whatever is it?" said the squirrel.</p> + +<p>"I can't wait," said Bevis.</p> + +<p>"Nor I," said the hare.</p> + +<p>"Well," said the lovely creature—for whom an +empire had been thrown away—"while the rook +council was deliberating about the punishment to be +awarded to Ah Kurroo, the legions, disgusted with the +treatment they had received after so wonderful a victory, +have risen in revolt, overthrown the government, +driven the council away, taken the Khan from the +tree where he was a prisoner and proclaimed him +dictator!"</p> + +<p>"Extraordinary!" said the hare; "the rooks always +would have it that theirs was the most perfect form of +government ever known."</p> + +<p>"No such rebellion was ever heard of before," said +the squirrel, "there is nothing like it in history; I +know, for I've often slipped into the owl's muniment +room (between you and me) on the sly, and taken a +peep at his ancient documents. It is most extraordinary!"</p> + +<p>"I can't see it," said the jay; "I don't agree with +you; I am not in the least surprised. I always said +they would never get on with so much caw-cawing and +talking every evening; I always said——"</p> + +<p>"Gentlemen," shouted the woodpecker, rushing up +breathless with haste, "I am sent round to tell you +from the dictator that you can now proceed to the +election of a king without fear of any kind, for he will +keep the enemy employed should they appear, and he +will over-awe the two pretenders, Ki Ki and Kauc. +Let every one say what he thinks without dread, and +let there be no bribery and no intimidation. In the +name of Ah Kurroo Khan!" and away he flew through +the copse to make the proclamation.</p> + +<p>Immediately afterwards the owl, blundering in the +daylight, came past and said that they had better come +on to his house, for he had just had a private interview +with the Khan, and had orders to preside over this +business. So Bevis and the squirrel, the hare and +the two jays proceeded to the pollard-tree; there was +no need for Bevis to hide now, because he was recognised +as a great friend of the squirrel's and the enemy +of the weasel. A noisy crowd had already collected, +which was augmented every minute, and there was a +good deal of rough pushing and loud talking, not unmingled +with blows. They were all there (except the +weasel), the goldfinch, the tomtit, the chaffinch, the +thrush, the blackbird, the missel-thrush, all of them, +jays, the alien pigeons, doves, woodpeckers, the rat, +the mouse, the stoat, and the fox.</p> + +<p>As the crowd increased, so did the uproar, till the +owl appeared at the balcony of his mansion, and the +woodpecker called for silence. The owl, when he +could get a hearing, said they were all to give their +opinions and say who they would have for their king. +And that there might be less confusion he would call +upon the least of them in size and the youngest in age +to speak first, and so on upwards to the oldest and +biggest.</p> + +<p>"I'm the least," cried the wren, coming forward +without a moment's delay, "and I think that, after all +I have seen of the ins and outs of the world, I myself +should make a very good king."</p> + +<p>"Indeed you're not the smallest," said Te-te, the +tomtit; "I am the smallest, besides which you are a +smuggler. Now I, on the contrary, have already +rendered great services to my country, and I am used +to official life."</p> + +<p>"Yes, you spy," cried Tchink, the chaffinch; and +all the assembly hissed Te-te, till he was obliged to +give way, as he could not make himself heard.</p> + +<p>"Why not have a queen?" said the goldfinch. "I +should think you have had enough of kings; now, why +not have me for queen? I have the richest dress of all."</p> + +<p>"Nothing of the kind," said the yellow-hammer, "I +wear cloth of gold myself."</p> + +<p>"As for that," said the woodpecker, "I myself +have no little claim on the score of colour."</p> + +<p>"But you have no such azure as me," said the +kingfisher.</p> + +<p>"Such gaudy hues are in the worst possible taste," +said the blackbird, "and very vulgar. Now, if I were +chosen——"</p> + +<p>"Well," said the thrush, "well, I never heard anything +equal to the blackbird's assurance; he who has +never held the slightest appointment. Now, my relation +was ambassador——"</p> + +<p>"I think," said the dove, "I should be able, if I +held the position, to conciliate most parties, and make +everything smooth."</p> + +<p>"You're much too smooth for me," said Tchink. +"It's my belief you're hand-in-glove with Choo Hoo, +for all your tender ways—dear me!"</p> + +<p>"If experience," said Cloctaw, "if experience is of +any value on a throne, I think I myself——"</p> + +<p>"Experience!" cried the jay, in high disdain, +"what is he talking of? Poor Cloctaw has gone past +his prime; however, we must make allowance for his +infirmities. You want some one with a decided opinion +like myself, ladies and gentlemen!"</p> + +<p>"If I might speak," began one of the alien wood-pigeons, +but they shouted him down.</p> + +<p>"I don't mean to be left out of this business, I can +tell you," said the mole, suddenly thrusting his snout +up through the ground; "I consider I have been too +much overlooked. But no election will be valid without +my vote. Now, I can tell you that there's not a +fellow living who knows more than I do."</p> + +<p>"Since the throne is vacant," said the mouse, +"why should not I be nominated?"</p> + +<p>"I do not like the way things have been managed," +said the rat; "there were too many fine feathers at +the court of the late king. Fur must have a turn now—if +I am elected I shall make somebody who wears +fur my prime minister." This was a bold bid for the +support of all the four-footed creatures, and was not +without its effect.</p> + +<p>"I call that downright bribery," said the jay.</p> + +<p>"Listen to me a minute," said Sec, the stoat; +but as they were now all talking together no one could +address the assembly.</p> + +<p>After a long time Bevis lost all patience, and held +up his cannon-stick, and threatened to shoot the next +one who spoke, which caused a hush.</p> + +<p>"There's one thing <i>I</i> want to say," said Bevis, +frowning, and looking very severe, as he stamped his +foot. "I have made up my mind on one point. Whoever +you have for king you shall not have the weasel, +for I will shoot him as dead as a nail the first time I +see him."</p> + +<p>"Hurrah!" cried everybody at once. "Hurrah +for little Sir Bevis!"</p> + +<p>"Now," said Bevis, "I see the owl wants to +speak, and as he's the only sensible one among you, +just be quiet and hear what he's got to say."</p> + +<p>At this the owl, immensely delighted, made Sir +Bevis a profound bow, and begged to observe that one +thing seemed to have escaped the notice of the ladies +and gentlemen whom he saw around him. It was true +they were all of noble blood, and many of them could +claim a descent through countless generations. But +they had overlooked the fact that, noble as they were, +there was among them one with still higher claims; +one who had royal blood in his veins, whose ancestors +had been kings, and kings of high renown. He alluded +to the fox.</p> + +<p>At this the fox, who had not hitherto spoken, and +kept rather in the background, modestly bent his head, +and looked the other way.</p> + +<p>"The fox," cried Tchink, "impossible—he's nobody."</p> + +<p>"Certainly not," said Te-te, "a mere nonentity."</p> + +<p>"Quite out of the question," said the goldfinch.</p> + +<p>"Out of the running," said the hare.</p> + +<p>"Absurd," said the jay; and they all raised a +clamour, protesting that even to mention the fox was +to waste the public time.</p> + +<p>"I am not so sure of that," muttered Cloctaw. +"We might do worse; I should not object." But his +remark was unheeded by all save the fox, whose quick +ear caught it.</p> + +<p>Again there was a great clamour and uproar, and +not a word could be heard, and again Bevis had to lift +up his cannon-stick. Just then Ah Kurroo Khan sent +a starling to know if they had finished, because Choo +Hoo had quitted his camp, and his outposts were not a +mile off.</p> + +<p>"In that case," said the owl, "our best course will +be to stop further discussion, and to put the matter to the +test of the vote at once. ('Hear, hear.') Do you then +all stand off a good way, so that no one shall be afraid +to do as he chooses, and then come to me one at a time, +beginning with the wren (as she spoke first), and let +each tell me who he or she votes for, and the reason +why, and then I will announce the result."</p> + +<p>So they all stood off a good way, except Sir Bevis, +who came closer to the pollard to hear what the voters +said, and to see that all was done fairly. When all was +ready the owl beckoned to the wren, and the wren flew +up and whispered: "I vote for the fox because Te-te +shall not have the crown".</p> + +<p>Next came Te-te, and he said: "I vote for the fox +because the wren shall not have it".</p> + +<p>Then Tchink, who said he voted for the fox so that +the goldfinch should not have the throne.</p> + +<p>The goldfinch voted for the fox that the yellow-hammer +should not have it, and the yellow-hammer +because the goldfinch should not succeed. The jay +did the same because Tchack-tchack should not have it; +the dove because the pigeon should not have it; the +blackbird to oust the thrush, and the thrush to stop +the blackbird; the sparrow to stop the starling, and +the starling to stop the sparrow; the woodpecker to +stop the kingfisher, and the kingfisher to stop the +woodpecker; and so on all through the list, all voting +for the fox in succession, to checkmate their friends' +ambition, down to Cloctaw, who said he voted for the +fox because he knew he could not get the throne himself, +and considered the fox better than the others. +Lastly, the owl, seeing that Reynard had got the +election (which indeed he had anticipated when he +called attention to the modest fox), also voted for +him.</p> + +<p>Then he called the fox forward, and was about to +tell him that he was duly elected, and would sit on a +throne firmly fixed upon the wide base of a universal +plebiscite, when Eric, the missel-thrush (who had taken +no part in the proceedings, for he alone regretted Kapchack), +cried out that the fox ought to be asked to +show some proof of ability before he received the crown. +This was so reasonable that every one endorsed it; +and the missel-thrush, seeing that he had made an +impression, determined to set the fox the hardest task +he could think of, and said that as it was the peculiar +privilege of a monarch to protect his people, so the fox, +before he mounted the throne, ought to be called upon +to devise some effectual means of repelling the onslaught +of Choo Hoo.</p> + +<p>"Hear, hear!" shouted the assembly, and cried +with one voice upon the fox to get them out of the +difficulty, and save them from the barbarian horde.</p> + +<p>The fox was in the deepest bewilderment, but he +carefully concealed his perplexity, and looked down +upon the ground as if pondering profoundly, whereas +he really had not got the least idea what to do. There +was silence. Every one waited for the fox.</p> + +<p>"Ahem!" said Cloctaw, as if clearing his throat.</p> + +<p>The fox detected his meaning, and slyly glanced +towards him, when Cloctaw looked at Bevis and winked. +Instantly the fox took the hint (afterwards claiming +the idea as entirely his own), and lifting his head, +said:—</p> + +<p>"Ladies and gentlemen, you have indeed set me a +most difficult task—so difficult, that should I succeed +in solving this problem, I hope shall obtain your complete +confidence. Gentlemen, we have amongst us at +this moment a visitor, and one whom we all delight to +honour, the more especially as we know him to be the +determined foe of that mercenary scoundrel the weasel, +who, should I be so fortunate as to obtain the crown, +shall, I promise you, never set foot in my palace—I +allude to the friend of the squirrel and the hare—I +allude to Sir Bevis. ('Hear, hear! Hurrah for little +Sir Bevis! Three cheers more!') I see that you +respond with enthusiasm to the sentiment I have +expressed. Well, our friend Sir Bevis can, I think, if +we call upon him in a respectful and proper manner, +help us out of this difficulty.</p> + +<p>"He carries in his hand an instrument in which +the ignition of certain chemical substances causes an +alarming report, and projects a shower of formidable +missiles to a distance. This instrument, which I hear +he constructed himself, thereby displaying unparalleled +ingenuity, he calls his cannon-stick. Now if we could +persuade him to become our ally, and to bang off his +cannon-stick when Choo Hoo comes, I think we should +soon see the enemy in full retreat, when the noble +dictator, Ah Kurroo Khan, could pursue, and add +another to his already lengthy list of brilliant achievements. +I would therefore propose, with the utmost +humility, that Sir Bevis be asked to receive a deputation; +and I would, with your permission, nominate the +hare, the squirrel, and Cloctaw as the three persons +best able to convey your wishes."</p> + +<p>At this address there was a general buzz of admiration; +people whispered to each other that really the +fox was extraordinarily clever, and well worthy to +ascend the throne—who would have thought that any +one so retiring could have suggested so original, and +yet at the same time so practical a course? The fox's +idea was at once adopted. Bevis went back with the +jay to his seat on the moss under the oak, and there +sat down to receive the deputation.</p> + +<p>Just as it was about to set out, the fox begged +permission to say one word more, which being readily +granted, he asked if he might send a message by the +starling to Ah Kurroo Khan. The present, he said, +seemed a most favourable moment for destroying those +dangerous pretenders, Ki Ki and Kauc. Usually their +brigand retainers were scattered all over the country, +miles and miles apart, and while thus separated it +would require an immense army—larger than the state +in the present exhausted condition of the treasury could +afford to pay without fresh taxes—to hunt the robbers +down in their woods and fastnesses. But they were +now concentrated, and preparing no doubt for a raid +upon the copse.</p> + +<p>Now if Ah Kurroo Khan were asked to fall upon +them immediately, he could destroy them in the mass, +and overthrow them without difficulty. Might he send +such a message to the Khan? The assembly applauded +the fox's foresight, and away flew the starling with the +message. Ah Kurroo, only too delighted to have the +opportunity of overthrowing his old enemy Kauc, and +his hated rival Ki Ki, immediately gave the order to +advance to his legions.</p> + +<p>Meantime the deputation, consisting of the hare, +the squirrel, and Cloctaw, waited upon Sir Bevis, who +received them very courteously upon his seat of moss +under the oak. He replied that he would shoot off his +cannon-stick with the greatest pleasure, if they would +show him in which direction they expected Choo Hoo +to come. So the hare, the squirrel, and Cloctaw, +with all the crowd following behind, took him to a +gap in the hedge round the copse on the western +side, and pointed out to him the way the enemy would +come.</p> + +<p>Indeed, Sir Bevis had hardly taken his stand and +seen to the priming than the van-guard of the barbarians +appeared over the tops of the trees. They were pushing +on with all speed, for it seems that the outposts +had reported to the emperor that there was a division +in the copse, and that civil war had broken out, being +deceived by the attack delivered by Ah Kurroo upon +the black pretender Kauc. Up then came the mighty +host in such vast and threatening numbers that the sun +was darkened as it had been on the day of the eclipse, +and the crowd behind Sir Bevis, overwhelmed with +fear, could scarce stand their ground. But Sir Bevis, +not one whit daunted, dropped upon one knee, and +levelling his cannon-stick upon the other, applied his +match. The fire and smoke and sound of the report +shook the confidence of the front ranks of the enemy; +they paused and wheeled to the right and left instead +of advancing.</p> + +<p>In a minute Bevis had his cannon-stick charged +again, and bang it went. The second rank now turned +and fell back and threw the host into confusion; still +the vast numbers behind pushed blindly on. Bevis, +in a state of excitement, now prepared for a grand +effort. He filled his cannon with powder nearly to the +muzzle, he rammed it down tight, and fearing lest it +might kick and hurt him, he fixed his weapon on the +stump of an elm which had been thrown some winters +since, and whose fall had made the gap in the hedge. +Then he cut a long, slender willow stick, slit it at one +end, and inserted his match in the cleft. He could +thus stand a long way back out of harm's way and +ignite the priming. The report that followed was so +loud the very woods rang again, the birds fluttered +with fear, and even the fox, bold as he was, shrank +back from such a tremendous explosion.</p> + +<p>Quite beside themselves with panic fear, the barbarian +host turned and fled in utter confusion, nor +could Choo Hoo, with all his efforts, rally them again, +for having once suffered defeat in the battle of the +eclipse, they had lost confidence. Ah Kurroo Khan, +just as he had driven in the defenders and taken Kauc's +camp (though Kauc himself, like the coward he was, +escaped before the conflict began), saw the confusion +and retreat of Choo Hoo's host, and without a moment's +delay hurled his legions once more on the retiring +barbarians. The greater number fled in every direction, +each only trying to save himself; but the best of Choo +Hoo's troops took refuge in their old camp.</p> + +<p>Ah Kurroo Khan surrounded and invested the +camp, but he hesitated to storm it, for he knew that it +would entail heavy losses. He prepared to blockade +Choo Hoo with such strictness that he must eventually +surrender from sheer hunger. He despatched a starling +with a message, describing the course he had taken at +once to the copse, and the starling, flying with great +speed, arrived there in a few minutes. Meanwhile the +assembly, delighted with the success which had attended +Bevis's cannonading, crowded round and overwhelmed +him with their thanks. Then when their excitement +had somewhat abated, they remembered that the idea +had emanated from the fox, and it was resolved to +proceed with his coronation at once. Just then the +starling arrived from the Khan.</p> + +<p>"Ah! yes," said Eric, the missel-thrush, who +wanted Tchack-tchack to ascend the throne of his +fathers, "it is true Choo Hoo is driven back and his +camp surrounded. But do you bear in mind that Tu +Kiu is not in it. He, they say, has gone into the west +and has already collected a larger host than even Choo +Hoo commanded, who are coming up as fast as they +can to avenge the Battle of the Eclipse. You must +also remember that Sir Bevis cannot be always here +with his cannon-stick; he is not often here in the +morning, and who can tell that some day while he is +away Tu Kiu may not appear and, while Choo Hoo +makes a sortie and engages Ah Kurroo's attention, +come on here and ravage the whole place, destroy all +our stores, and leave us without a berry or an acorn! +It seems to me that the fox has only got us into a +deeper trouble than ever, for if Choo Hoo or Tu Kiu +ever does come down upon us, they will exact a still +worse vengeance for the disgrace they have suffered. +The fox has only half succeeded; he must devise +something more before he can claim our perfect confidence."</p> + +<p>"Hear, hear!" shouted the assembly, "the missel-thrush +is right. The fox must do something more!"</p> + +<p>Now the fox hated the missel-thrush beyond all +expression, for just as he was, as it seemed, about to +grasp the object of his ambition, the missel-thrush +always suggested some new difficulty and delayed his +triumph, but he suppressed his temper and said: "The +missel-thrush is a true patriot, and speaks with a view +not to his own interest but to the good of his country. +I myself fully admit the truth of his observations; +Choo Hoo is indeed checked for a time, but there is no +knowing how soon we may hear the shout of 'Koos-takke' +again. Therefore, gentlemen, I would, with all +humility, submit the following suggestion.</p> + +<p>"There can be no doubt but that this invasion has +gone on year after year, because the kingdom of Kapchack +had become somewhat unwieldy with numerous +annexations, and could not be adequately defended. +This policy of annexation which the late government +carried on for so long, bore, indeed, upon the surface +the false glitter of glory. We heard of provinces and +principalities added to the realm, and we forgot the +cost. That policy has no doubt weakened the cohesive +power of the kingdom: I need not pause here to explain +to an audience of the calibre I see before me the difference +between progress and expansion, between colonisation +and violent, uncalled-for, and unjust annexation.</p> + +<p>"What I am now about to suggest will at once +reduce taxation, fill our impoverished treasury, secure +peace, and I believe impart a lasting stability to +the state. It will enable us one and all to enjoy the +fruits of the earth. I humbly propose that a treaty be +made with Choo Hoo ('Oh! Oh!' from the missel-thrush +and Tchack-tchack), that upon the payment of an ample +war indemnity—say a million nuts, two million acorns, +and five million berries, or some trifling figure like that, +not to be too exorbitant—he be permitted to withdraw +('Shame!' from Tchack-tchack), and that the provinces +torn by force and fraud by the late government from +their lawful owners be restored to them ('Which means,' +said the missel-thrush, 'that as the lawful owners +are not strong enough to protect themselves, Choo Hoo +may plunder half the world as he likes'), and that peace +be proclaimed. I, for my part, would far rather—if I +be so fortunate as to be your king—I say I would far +rather rule over a contented and prosperous people than +over an empire in which the sword is never in the scabbard!"</p> + +<p>"Hear, hear!" shouted the assembly. "We have +certainly selected the right person: this is truly wisdom. +Let the treaty be concluded; and what a feast +we will have upon the war indemnity," they said to one +another.</p> + +<p>"It is selling our honour—making a bargain and a +market of our ancestors' courage," said the missel-thrush.</p> + +<p>"It is a vile infringement of my right," said +Tchack-tchack; "I am robbed of my inheritance, and +the people of theirs, under a false pretext and sham. +The country will be ruined."</p> + +<p>"Begone," shouted the crowd, "begone, you despicable +wretches," and away flew the missel-thrush +and Tchack-tchack in utter disgust and despair.</p> + +<p>So soon as they had gone the assembly proceeded +to appoint a Commission to negotiate the treaty of +peace. It consisted of the woodpecker, the thrush, +and Cloctaw: the stoat muttered a good deal, for +having been almost the only adherent of the fox in his +former lowly condition, he expected profitable employment +now his friend had obtained such dignity. The +fox, however, called him aside and whispered something +which satisfied him, and the Commission having +received instructions proceeded at once to Ah Kurroo, +who was to furnish them with a flag of truce. A +company of starlings went with them to act as couriers +and carry intelligence. When the Commission reached +Ah Kurroo, he declined to open a truce with Choo Hoo, +even for a moment, and presently, as the Commission +solemnly demanded obedience in the name of the fox, +he decided to go himself to the king-elect and explain +the reasons—of a purely military character—which led +him to place this obstruction in their way.</p> + +<p>The fox received Ah Kurroo with demonstrations +of the deepest respect, congratulated him upon his +achievements, and admired the disposition he had +made of his forces so as to completely blockade the +enemy. Ah Kurroo, much pleased with this reception, +and the appreciation of his services, pointed out that +Choo Hoo was now so entirely in his power, that in a +few days he would have to surrender, as provisions +were failing him. Long ere Tu Kiu could return with +the relieving column the emperor would be a captive. +Ah Kurroo begged the fox not to throw away this +glorious opportunity.</p> + +<p>The king-elect, who had his own reasons for not +desiring the Khan to appear too victorious, listened +attentively, but pointed out that it was not so much +himself, but the nation which demanded instant peace.</p> + +<p>"Moreover," said he in a whisper to the Khan, +"don't you see, my dear general, that if you totally +destroy Choo Hoo your occupation will be gone; we +shall not require an army or a general. Now as it is +my intention to appoint you commander-in-chief for +life——"</p> + +<p>"Say no more," said Ah Kurroo, "say no more;" +then aloud: "Your royal highness' commands shall be +immediately obeyed;" and away he flew, and gave the +Commission the flag of truce.</p> + +<p>Choo Hoo, confined in his camp with a murmuring +and mutinous soldiery, short of provisions, and expecting +every moment to see the enemy pouring into his +midst, was beyond measure delighted when he heard +that peace was proposed, indeed he could scarcely +believe that any one in his senses could offer such a +thing to an army which must inevitably surrender in a +few hours. But when he heard that the fox was the +king-elect, he began to comprehend, for there were not +wanting suspicions that it was the fox who, when +Choo Hoo was only a nameless adventurer, assisted +him with advice.</p> + +<p>The Commission, therefore, found their task easy +enough so far as the main point was concerned, that +there should be peace, but when they came to discuss +the conditions it became a different matter. The fox, +a born diplomat, had instructed them to put forward +the hardest conditions first, and if they could not force +these upon Choo Hoo to gradually slacken them, little +by little, till they overcame his reluctance. At every +step they sent couriers to the king-elect with precise +information of their progress.</p> + +<p>The negotiations lasted a very long time, quite an +hour, during which the couriers flew incessantly to and +fro, and Bevis, lying on his back on the moss under the +oak, tried which could screech the loudest, himself or +the jay. Bevis would easily have won had he been +able to resist the inclination to pull the jay's tail, +which made the latter set up such a yell that everybody +started, Bevis shouted with laughter, and even +the fox lost his gravity.</p> + +<p>Choo Hoo agreed to everything without much +difficulty, except the indemnity; he drew back at that, +declaring it was too many millions, and there was even +some danger of the negotiations being broken off. But +the fox was equally firm, he insisted on it, and even +added 10,000 bushels of grain to the original demand, +at which Choo Hoo nearly choked with indignation. +The object of the fox in requiring the grain was to +secure the faithful allegiance of all his lesser subjects, +as the sparrows, and indeed he regarded the indemnity +as the most certain means of beginning his reign at +the height of popularity, since it would be distributed +among the nation. People could not, moreover, fail to +remark the extreme disinterestedness of the king, since +of all these millions of berries, acorns, nuts, grain, and +so forth, there was not one single mouthful for himself. +Choo Hoo, as said before, full of indignation, abruptly +turned away from the Commission, and, at a loss what +to do, they communicated with the fox.</p> + +<p>He ordered them to inform Choo Hoo that under +certain restrictions travellers would in future be permitted +access to the spring in the copse which did not +freeze in winter. The besieged emperor somewhat +relaxed the austerity of his demeanour at this; another +pourparler took place, in the midst of which the fox +told the Commission to mention (as if casually) that +among others there would be a clause restoring independence +to all those princes and archdukes whose +domains the late Kapchack had annexed. Choo Hoo +could scarce maintain decorum when he heard this; he +could have shouted with delight, for he saw in a +moment that it was equivalent to ceding half Kapchack's +kingdom, since these small Powers would +never be able to defend themselves against his hosts.</p> + +<p>At the same moment, too, he was called aside, and +informed that a private messenger had arrived from +the fox: it was the humble-bee, who had slipped +easily through the lines and conveyed a strong hint +from the king-elect. The fox said he had done the +best he could for his brother, the emperor, remembering +their former acquaintance; now let the emperor do +his part, and between them they could rule the earth +with ease. Choo Hoo, having told the humble-bee +that he quite understood, and that he agreed to the +fox's offer, dismissed him, and returned to the Commission, +whose labours were now coming to a close.</p> + +<p>All the clauses having been agreed to, Ess, the owl, +as the most practised in such matters, was appointed +by the fox to draw up the document in proper form +for signature. While this was being done, the king-elect +proceeded to appoint his Cabinet: Sec, the stoat, +was nominated treasurer; Ah Kurroo Khan, commander-in-chief +for life; Ess, the owl, continued chief +secretary of state; Cloctaw was to be grand chamberlain; +Raoul, the rat, lieutenant-governor of the coast +(along the brook and Long Pond), and so on.</p> + +<p>Next the weasel, having failed to present himself +when summoned by the woodpecker, was attainted as +contumacious, and sentenced, with the entire approval +of the assembly, to lose all his dignities and estates; +his woods, parks, forests, and all his property were +escheated to the Crown, and were by the king handed +over to his faithful follower Sec. The weasel (whose +whereabouts could not be discovered) was also proclaimed +an outlaw, whom any one might slay without +fear of trial. It was then announced that all others +who absented themselves from the court, and were +not present when the treaty was signed, would be +treated as traitors, and receive the same punishment +as the weasel.</p> + +<p>Immediately he heard this, Yiwy, son and heir of +Ki Ki, the hawk, who had fled, came and paid homage +to the fox, first to save the estates from confiscation, +and secondly that he might enjoy them in his father's +place. Ki Ki was accordingly declared an outlaw. +Directly afterwards, Kauc, the crow, crept in, much +crestfallen, and craved pardon, hoping to save his property. +The assembly received him with hisses and +hoots: still the fox kept his word, and permitted him +to retain his estates upon payment of an indemnity +for the cost of the troops employed against him under +Ah Kurroo, of 100,000 acorns. Kauc protested that +he should be ruined: but the crowd would not hear +him, and he was obliged to submit.</p> + +<p>Then Eric, the missel-thrush, and Prince Tchack-tchack +flew up: the prince had yielded to good advice, +and resolved to smother his resentment in order to +enjoy the immense private domains of his late parent. +The protocols were now ready, and the fox had +already taken the document to sign, when there was +a rush of wings, and in came six or seven of those +princes and archdukes—among them the archduke of +the peewits—to whom independence was to be restored. +They loudly proclaimed their loyalty, and begged not +to be cast off: declaring that they were quite unable to +defend themselves, and should be mercilessly plundered +by the barbarian horde. The fox lifted his paw in +amazement that there should exist on the face of the +earth any such poltroons as this, who preferred to pay +tribute and enjoy peace rather than endure the labour +of defending their own independence. The whole +assembly cried shame upon them, but the princes +persisted, and filled the court with their lamentations, +till at a sign from the king they were hustled out of the +copse.</p> + +<p>The treaty itself filled so many pages of parchment +that no one attempted to read it, the owl certifying +that it was all correct: an extract, however, divested of +technical expressions, was handed about the court, and +was to the following effect:—</p> + +<p><br /><br /></p> + +<p><span class="smcap">The Treaty of Windflower Copse.</span></p> + +<p>1. The high contracting parties to this treaty are +and shall be, on the one side, King Reynard CI., and on +the other side, Choo Hoo the emperor.</p> + +<p>2. It is declared that Kapchack being dead honour +is satisfied, and further fighting superfluous.</p> + +<p>3. Choo Hoo agrees to pay a war indemnity of +one million nuts, two million acorns, five million +berries, and ten thousand bushels of grain, in ten equal +instalments, the first instalment the day of the full +moon next before Christmas, and the remainder at +intervals of a fortnight.</p> + +<p>4. The spring in the copse, which does not freeze in +winter, is declared free and open to all travellers, not +exceeding fifty in number.</p> + +<p>5. The copse itself is hereby declared a neutral +zone, wherein all councils, pourparlers, parliaments, +commissions, markets, fairs, meetings, courts of justice, +and one and all and every such assembly for public or +private purposes, may be and shall be held, without let +or hindrance, saving only:—(<i>a</i>) Plots against His +Majesty King Reynard CI.; (<i>b</i>) plots against His +Imperial Majesty Choo Hoo.</p> + +<p>6. The unjust annexations of the late King Kapchack +are hereby repudiated, and all the provinces +declared independent.</p> + +<p>7. Lastly, peace is proclaimed for ever and a day, +beginning to-morrow.</p> + +<p> +(Signed)<br /> +<br /> +His Majesty King Reynard CI.<br /> +<br /> +His Imperial Majesty the Emperor Choo Hoo.<br /> +<br /> +B. (for Sir Bevis).<br /> +<br /> +Sec, the stoat (Treasurer).<br /> +<br /> +Ah Kurroo Khan (Commander-in-Chief).<br /> +<br /> +Ess, the owl (Chief Secretary of State).<br /> +<br /> +Cloctaw, the jackdaw (Grand Chamberlain).<br /> +<br /> +Raoul, the rat (Lieutenant-Governor of the Coasts).<br /> +<br /> +Phu, the starling.<br /> +<br /> +Tchink, the chaffinch.<br /> +<br /> +Te-te, the tomtit.<br /> +<br /> +Ulu, the hare.<br /> +<br /> +Eric, the missel-thrush.<br /> +<br /> +Tchack-tchack, the magpie, etc., etc., etc.<br /> +</p> + +<p><br /><br /></p> + +<p>Every one in fact signed it but the weasel, who +was still lying sullenly <i>perdu</i>. The B. was for Bevis; +the fox, who excelled in the art of paying delicate +compliments, insisted upon Bevis signing next to the +high contracting parties. So taking the quill, Bevis +printed a good big B, a little staggering, but plain and +legible. Directly this business was concluded, Ah +Kurroo withdrew his legions; Choo Hoo sallied forth +from the camp, and returning the way he had come, in +about an hour was met by his son Tu Kiu at the head +of enormous reinforcements. Delighted at the treaty, +and the impunity they now enjoyed, the vast barbarian +horde, divided into foraging parties of from one hundred +to a thousand, spread over a tract of country +thirty miles wide, rolled like a devastating tidal wave +in resistless course southwards, driving the independent +princes before them, plundering, ravaging, and destroying, +and leaving famine behind. Part of the plunder +indeed, of the provinces recently attached to Kapchack's +kingdom, and now declared independent, +furnished the first instalment of the war indemnity the +barbarians had engaged to pay.</p> + +<p>Meantime, in the copse, preparations were made for +the coronation of the king, who had assumed, in +accordance with well-known precedents, that all his +ancestors, whether acknowledged or not, had reigned, +and called himself King Reynard the Hundred and +First. The procession having been formed, and all the +ceremonies completed, Bevis banged off his cannon-stick +as a salute, and the fox, taking the crown, proceeded +to put it on his head, remarking as he did so +that thus they might see how when rogues fall out +honest folk come by their own.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVII" id="CHAPTER_XVII"></a>CHAPTER XVII.</h2> + +<h3>SIR BEVIS AND THE WIND.</h3> + + +<p>Some two or three days after peace was concluded, +it happened that one morning the waggon was going +up on the hills to bring down a load of straw, purchased +from the very old gentleman who in his anger shot +King Kapchack. When Bevis saw the horses brought +out of the stable, and learnt that they were to travel +along the road that led towards the ships (though but +three miles out of the sixty), nothing would do but he +must go with them. As his papa and the bailiff were +on this particular occasion to accompany the waggon, +Bevis had his own way as usual.</p> + +<p>The road passed not far from the copse, and Bevis +heard the woodpecker say something, but he was too +busy touching up the horses with the carter's long whip +to pay any heed. If he had been permitted he would +have lashed them into a sharp trot. Every now and +then Bevis turned round to give the bailiff a sly flick +with the whip; the bailiff sat at the tail and dangled +his legs over behind, so that his broad back was a +capital thing to hit. By-and-by, the carter left the +highway and took the waggon along a lane where the +ruts were white with chalk, and which wound round at +the foot of the downs. Then after surmounting a steep +hill, where the lane had worn a deep hollow, they found +a plain with hills all round it, and here, close to the +sward, was the straw-rick from which they were to +load.</p> + +<p>Bevis insisted upon building the load, that is putting +the straw in its place when it was thrown up; but in +three minutes he said he hated it, it was so hot and +scratchy, so out he jumped. Then he ran a little way +up the green sward of the hill, and lying down rolled +over and over to the bottom. Next he wandered along +the low hedge dividing the stubble from the sward, so +low that he could jump over it, but as he could not +find anything he came back, and at last so teased and +worried his papa to let him go up to the top of the hill, +that he consented, on Bevis promising in the most +solemn manner that he would not go one single inch +beyond the summit, where there was an ancient earthwork. +Bevis promised, and his eyes looked so clear +and truthful, and his cheek so rosy and innocent, and +his lips so red and pouting, that no one could choose +but believe him.</p> + +<p>Away he ran thirty yards up the hill at a burst, but +it soon became so steep he had to stay and climb slowly. +Five minutes afterwards he began to find it very hard +work indeed, though it looked so easy from below, and +stopped to rest. He turned round and looked down; +he could see over the waggon and the straw-rick, over +the ash-trees in the hedges, over the plain (all yellow +with stubble) across to the hills on the other side, and +there, through a gap in them, it seemed as if the land +suddenly ceased, or dropped down, and beyond was a +dark blue expanse which ended in the sky where the +sky came down to touch it.</p> + +<p>By his feet was a rounded boulder-stone, brown and +smooth, a hard sarsen; this he tried to move, but it +was so heavy that he could but just stir it. But the +more difficult a thing was, or the more he was resisted, +the more determined Bevis always became. He would +stamp and shout with rage, rather than let a thing +alone quietly. When he did this sometimes Pan, the +spaniel, would look at him in amazement, and wonder +why he did not leave it and go on and do something +else, as the world was so big, and there were very many +easy things that could be done without any trouble. +That was not Bevis's idea, however, at all; he never +quitted a thing till he had done it. And so he tugged +and strained and struggled with the stone till he got it +out of its bed and on the sloping sward.</p> + +<p>Then he pushed and heaved at it, till it began to roll, +and giving it a final thrust with his foot, away it went, +at first rumbling and rolling slowly, and then faster and +with a thumping, till presently it bounded and leaped +ten yards at a time, and at the bottom of the hill sprang +over the hedge like a hunter, and did not stop till it had +gone twenty yards out into the stubble towards the +straw-rick. Bevis laughed and shouted, though a little +disappointed that it had not smashed the waggon, or +at least jumped over it. Then, waving his hat, away +he went again, now picking up a flint to fling as far +down as he could, now kicking over a white round puff +ball—always up, up, till he grew hot, and his breath +came in quick deep pants.</p> + +<p>But still as determined as ever, he pushed on, and +presently stood on the summit, on the edge of the +fosse. He looked down; the waggon seemed under +his feet; the plain, the hills beyond, the blue distant +valley on one side, on the other the ridge he had +mounted stretched away, and beyond it still more +ridges, till he could see no further. He went into the +fosse, and there it seemed so pleasant that he sat down, +and in a minute lay extended at full length in his +favourite position, looking up at the sky. It was much +more blue than he had ever seen it before, and it +seemed only just over his head; the grasshoppers called +in the grass at his side, and he could hear a lark sing, +singing far away, but on a level with him. First he +thought he would talk to the grasshopper, or call to +one of the swallows, but he had now got over the effort +of climbing, and he could not sit still.</p> + +<p>Up he jumped, ran up the rampart, and then down +again into the fosse. He liked the trench best, and +ran along it in the hollow, picking up stray flints and +throwing them as far as he could. The trench wound +round the hill, and presently when he saw a low hawthorn-bush +just outside the broad green ditch, and +scrambled up to it, the waggon was gone and the plain, +for he had reached the other side of the camp. There +the top of the hill was level and broad: a beautiful +place for a walk.</p> + +<p>Bevis went a little way out upon it, and the turf +was so soft, and seemed to push up his foot so, that he +must go on, and when he had got a little farther, he +heard another grasshopper, and thought he would run +and catch him; but the grasshopper, who had heard of +his tricks, stopped singing, and hid in a bunch, so that +Bevis could not see him.</p> + +<p>Next he saw a little round hill—a curious little hill—not +very much higher than his own head, green with +grass and smooth. This curious little hill greatly +pleased him; he would have liked to have had it carried +down into his garden at home; he ran up on the top of +it, and shouted at the sun, and danced round on the +tumulus. A third grasshopper called in the grass, and +Bevis ran down after him, but he, too, was too cunning; +then a glossy ball of thistledown came up so +silently, Bevis did not see it till it touched him, +and lingered a moment lovingly against his shoulder. +Before he could grasp it, it was gone.</p> + +<p>A few steps farther and he found a track crossing +the hill, waggon-ruts in the turf, and ran along it a +little way—only a little way, for he did not care for +anything straight. Next he saw a mushroom, and +gathered it, and while hunting about hither and thither +for another, came upon some boulder-stones, like the +one he had hurled down the slope, but very much larger, +big enough to play hide-and-seek behind. He danced +round these—Bevis could not walk—and after he had +danced round every one, and peered under and climbed +over one or two, he discovered that they were put in a +circle.</p> + +<p>"Somebody's been at play here," thought Bevis, +and looking round to see who had been placing the +stones in a ring, he saw a flock of rooks far off in the +air, even higher up than he was on the hill, wheeling +about, soaring round with outspread wings and cawing. +They slipped past each other in and out, tracing a +maze, and rose up, drifting away slowly as they rose; +they were so happy, they danced in the sky. Bevis +ran along the hill in the same direction they were +going, shouting and waving his hand to them, and they +cawed to him in return.</p> + +<p>When he looked to see where he was he was now +in the midst of long mounds or heaps of flints that had +been dug and stacked; he jumped on them, and off again, +picked up the best for throwing, and flung them as far +as he could. There was a fir-copse but a little distance +farther, he went to it, but the trees grew so close +together he could not go through, so he walked round +it, and then the ground declined so gently he did not +notice he was going downhill. At the bottom there +was a wood of the strangest old twisted oaks he had +ever seen; not the least like the oak-trees by his house +at home that he knew so well.</p> + +<p>These were short, and so very knotty that even the +trunks, thick as they were, seemed all knots, and the +limbs were gnarled, and shaggy with grey lichen. He +threw pieces of dead stick, which he found on the +ground, up at the acorns, but they were not yet ripe, +so he wandered on among the oaks, tapping every one +he passed to see which was hollow, till presently he +had gone so far he could not see the hills for the +boughs.</p> + +<p>But just as he was thinking he would ask a bee to +show him the way out (for there was not a single bird +in the wood), he came to a place where the oaks were +thinner, and the space between them was covered with +bramble-bushes. Some of the blackberries were ripe, +and his lips were soon stained with their juice. Passing +on from bramble-thicket to bramble-thicket, by-and-by +he shouted, and danced, and clapped his hands with +joy, for there were some nuts on a hazel bough, and +they were ripe he was sure, for the side towards the +sun was rosy. He knew that nuts do not get brown +first, but often turn red towards the south. Out came +his pocket-knife, and with seven tremendous slashes, +for Bevis could not do anything steadily, off came a +branch with a crook. He crooked down the bough +and gathered the nuts, there were eight on that bough, +and on the next four, and on the next only two. But +there was another stole beyond, from which, in a +minute, he had twenty more, and then as he could not +stay to crack them, he crammed them into his pocket +and ceased to reckon.</p> + +<p>"I will take fifty up to the squirrel," he said to +himself, "and the nut-crackers, and show him how to +do it properly with some salt." So he tugged at the +boughs, and dragged them down, and went on from +stole to stole till he had roamed into the depths of the +nut-tree wood.</p> + +<p>Then, as he stopped a second to step over a little +streamlet that oozed along at his feet, all at once he +became aware how still it was. No birds sang, and no +jay called; no woodpecker chuckled; there was not +even a robin; nor had he seen a rabbit, or a squirrel, or +a dragon-fly, or any of his friends. Already the outer +rim of some of the hazel leaves was brown, while the +centre of the leaf remained green, but there was not +even the rustle of a leaf as it fell. The larks were not +here, nor the swallows, nor the rooks; the streamlet at +his feet went on without a murmur; and the breeze +did not come down into the hollow. Except for a bee, +whose buzz seemed quite loud as he flew by, there was +not a moving thing. Bevis was alone; he had never +before been so utterly alone, and he stopped humming +the old tune the brook had taught him, to listen.</p> + +<p>He lifted his crook and struck the water; it splashed, +but in a second it was still again. He flung a dead +branch into a tree; it cracked as it hit a bough, on +which the leaves rustled; then it fell thump, and lay +still and quiet. He stamped on the ground, the grass +gave no sound. He shouted "Holloa!" but there was +no echo. His voice seemed to slip away from him, he +could not shout so loud as he had been accustomed to. +For a minute he liked it; then he began to think it +was not so pleasant; then he wanted to get out, but he +could not see the hill, so he did not know which way +to go.</p> + +<p>So he stroked a knotted oak with his hand, smoothing +it down, and said: "Oak, oak, tell me which way to +go!" and the oak tried to speak, but there was no +wind, and he could not, but he dropped just one leaf on +the right side, and Bevis picked it up, and as he did so, +a nut-tree bough brushed his cheek.</p> + +<p>He kissed the bough, and said: "Nut-tree bough, +nut-tree bough, tell me the way to go!" The bough +could not speak for the same reason that the oak could +not; but it bent down towards the streamlet. Bevis +dropped on one knee and lifted up a little water in the +hollow of his hand, and drank it, and asked which way +to go.</p> + +<p>The stream could not speak because there was no +stone to splash against, but it sparkled in the sunshine +(as Bevis had pushed the bough aside), and looked so +pleasant that he followed it a little way, and then he +came to an open place with twisted old oaks, gnarled +and knotted, where a blue butterfly was playing.</p> + +<p>"Show me the way out, you beautiful creature," +said Bevis.</p> + +<p>"So I will, Bevis dear," said the butterfly. "I have +just come from your waggon, and your papa and the +bailiff have been calling to you, and I think they will +soon be coming back to look for you. Follow me, my +darling."</p> + +<p>So Bevis followed the little blue butterfly, who +danced along as straight as it was possible for him +to go, for he, like Bevis, did not like too much straightness. +Now the oak knew the butterfly was there, and +that was why he dropped his leaf; and so did the nut-tree +bough, and that was why he drooped and let the +sun sparkle on the water, and the stream smiled to +make Bevis follow him to where the butterfly was playing. +Without pausing anywhere, but just zig-zagging +on, the blue butterfly floated before Bevis, who danced +after him, the nuts falling from his crammed pockets; +knocking every oak as he went with his stick, asking +them if they knew anything, or had anything to tell +the people in the copse near his house. The oaks were +bursting with things to tell him, and messages to send, +but they could not speak, as there was no breeze in the +hollow. He whipped the bramble bushes with his +crook, but they did not mind in the least, they were so +glad to see him.</p> + +<p>He whistled to the butterfly to stop a moment +while he picked a blackberry; the butterfly settled on +a leaf. Then away they went again together till they +left the wood behind and began to go up the hill. +There the butterfly grew restless, and could scarce +restrain his pace for Bevis to keep up, as they were +now in the sunshine. Bevis raced after as fast as he +could go uphill, but at the top the butterfly thought he +saw a friend of his, and telling Bevis that somebody +would come to him in a minute, away he flew. Bevis +looked round, but it was all strange and new to him; +there were hills all round, but there was no waggon, +and no old trench or rampart; nothing but the +blue sky and the great sun, which did not seem far +off.</p> + +<p>While he wondered which way to go, the wind +came along the ridge, and taking him softly by the ear +pushed him gently forward and said: "Bevis, my love, +I have been waiting for you ever so long; why did you +not come before?"</p> + +<p>"Because you never asked me," said Bevis.</p> + +<p>"Oh yes, I did; I asked you twenty times in the +copse. I beckoned to you out of the great oak, under +which you went to sleep; and I whispered to you from +the fir-trees where the squirrel played, but you were so +busy, dear, so busy with Kapchack, and the war, and +Choo Hoo, and the court, and all the turmoil, that you +did not hear me."</p> + +<p>"You should have called louder," said Bevis.</p> + +<p>"So I did," said the wind. "Don't you remember +I whirled the little bough against your window, +and rattled the casement that night you saw the owl +go by?"</p> + +<p>"I was so sleepy," said Bevis, "I did not know +what you meant; you should have kissed me."</p> + +<p>"So I did," said the wind. "I kissed you a hundred +times out in the field, and stroked your hair, but +<ins class="correction" title="Transcriber's Note: The original text omits 'you'">you</ins> +would not take any notice."</p> + +<p>"I had so much to do," said Bevis; "there was the +weasel and my cannon-stick."</p> + +<p>"But I wanted you very much," said the wind, +"because I love you, and longed for you to come and +visit me."</p> + +<p>"Well, now I am come," said Bevis. "But where +do you live?"</p> + +<p>"This is where I live, dear," said the wind. "I +live upon the hill; sometimes I go to the sea, and +sometimes to the woods, and sometimes I run through +the valley, but I always come back here, and you may +always be sure of finding me here; and I want you to +come and romp with me."</p> + +<p>"I will come," said Bevis; "I like a romp, but are +you very rough?"</p> + +<p>"Oh no, dear; not with you."</p> + +<p>"I am a great big boy," said Bevis; "I am eating +my peck of salt very fast: I shall soon get too big to +romp with you. How old are you, you jolly Wind?"</p> + +<p>The wind laughed and said: "I am older than all +the very old things. I am as old as the brook."</p> + +<p>"But the brook is very old," said Bevis. "He told +me he was older than the hills, so I do not think you +are as old as he is."</p> + +<p>"Yes I am," said the wind; "he was always my +playfellow; we were children together."</p> + +<p>"If you are so very, very old," said Bevis, "it is no +use your trying to romp with me, because I am very +strong; I can carry my papa's gun on my shoulder, +and I can run very fast; do you know the stupid old +bailiff can't catch me? I can go round the ricks ever +so much quicker than he can."</p> + +<p>"I can run quick," said the wind.</p> + +<p>"But not so quick as me," said Bevis; "now see if +you can catch me."</p> + +<p>Away he ran, and for a moment he left the wind +behind; but the wind blew a little faster, and overtook +him, and they raced along together, like two wild +things, till Bevis began to pant. Then down he sat on +the turf and kicked up his heels and shouted, and the +wind fanned his cheek and cooled him, and kissed his +lips and stroked his hair, and caressed him and played +with him, till up he jumped again and danced along, +the wind always pushing him gently.</p> + +<p>"You are a jolly old Wind," said Bevis, "I like you +very much; but you must tell me a story, else we shall +quarrel. I'm sure we shall."</p> + +<p>"I will try," said the wind; "but I have forgotten +all my stories, because the people never come to listen +to me now."</p> + +<p>"Why don't they come?" said Bevis.</p> + +<p>"They are too busy," said the wind, sighing; "they +are so very, very busy, just like you were with Kapchack +and his treasure and the war, and all the rest of +the business; they have so much to do, they have quite +forsaken me."</p> + +<p>"I will come to you," said Bevis; "do not be sorry. +I will come and play with you."</p> + +<p>"Yes, do," said the wind; "and drink me, dear, as +much as ever you can. I shall make you strong. Now +drink me."</p> + +<p>Bevis stood still and drew in a long, long breath, +drinking the wind till his chest was full and his +heart beat quicker. Then he jumped and danced +and shouted.</p> + +<p>"There," said the wind, "see, how jolly I have +made you. It was I who made you dance and sing, +and run along the hill just now. Come up here, my +darling Sir Bevis, and drink me as often as ever you +can, and the more you drink of me the happier you will +be, and the longer you will live. And people will look +at you and say: 'How jolly he looks! Is he not nice? +I wish I was like him.' And presently they will say: +'Where does he learn all these things?'</p> + +<p>"For you must know, Bevis, my dear, that although +I have forgotten my stories, yet they are all still there +in my mind, and by-and-by, if you keep on drinking +me I shall tell you all of them, and nobody will know +how you learn it all. For I know more than the +brook, because, you see, I travel about everywhere: +and I know more than the trees; indeed, all they know +I taught them myself. The sun is always telling me +everything, and the stars whisper to me at night: the +ocean roars at me: the earth whispers to me: just you +lie down, Bevis love, upon the ground and listen."</p> + +<p>So Bevis lay down on the grass, and heard the +wind whispering in the tufts and bunches, and the +earth under him answered, and asked the wind to +stay and talk. But the wind said: "I have got Bevis +to-day: come on, Bevis," and Bevis stood up and +walked along.</p> + +<p>"Besides all these things," said the wind, "I can +remember everything that ever was. There never was +anything that I cannot remember, and my mind is so +clear that if you will but come up here and drink me, +you will understand everything."</p> + +<p>"Well then," said Bevis, "I will drink you—there, +I have just had such a lot of you: now tell me this +instant why the sun is up there, and is he very hot if +you touch him, and which way does he go when he +sinks beyond the wood, and who lives up there, and +are they nice people, and who painted the sky?"</p> + +<p>The wind laughed aloud, and said: "Bevis, my +darling, you have not drunk half enough of me yet, +else you would never ask such silly questions as that. +Why, those are like the silly questions the people ask +who live in the houses of the cities, and never feel me +or taste me, or speak to me. And I have seen them +looking through long tubes——"</p> + +<p>"I know," said Bevis; "they are telescopes, and +you look at the sun and the stars, and they tell you all +about them."</p> + +<p>"Pooh!" said the wind, "don't you believe such +stuff and rubbish, my pet. How can they know anything +about the sun who are never out in the sunshine, +and never come up on the hills, or go into the wood? +How can they know anything about the stars who +never stopped on the hills, or on the sea all night? +How can they know anything of such things who are +shut up in houses, dear, where I cannot come in?</p> + +<p>"Bevis, my love, if you want to know all about the +sun, and the stars, and everything, make haste and +come to me, and I will tell you, dear. In the morning, +dear, get up as quick as you can, and drink me as I +come down from the hill. In the day go up on the +hill, dear, and drink me again, and stay there if you can +till the stars shine out, and drink still more of me.</p> + +<p>"And by-and-by you will understand all about the +sun, and the moon, and the stars, and the earth which +is so beautiful, Bevis. It is so beautiful, you can hardly +believe how beautiful it is. Do not listen, dear, not for +one moment, to the stuff and rubbish they tell you +down there in the houses where they will not let me +come. If they say the earth is not beautiful, tell them +they do not speak the truth. But it is not their fault, +for they have never seen it, and as they have never +drank me their eyes are closed, and their ears shut up +tight. But every evening, dear, before you get into +bed, do you go to your window—the same as you did +the evening the owl went by—and lift the curtain and +look up at the sky, and I shall be somewhere about, +or else I shall be quiet in order that there may be no +clouds, so that you may see the stars. In the morning, +as I said before, rush out and drink me up.</p> + +<p>"The more you drink of me, the more you will +want, and the more I shall love you. Come up to me +upon the hills, and your heart will never be heavy, but +your eyes will be bright, and your step quick, and you +will sing and shout——"</p> + +<p>"So I will," said Bevis, "I will shout. Holloa!" +and he ran up on to the top of the little round hill, to +which they had now returned, and danced about on it +as wild as could be.</p> + +<p>"Dance away, dear," said the wind, much delighted. +"Everybody dances who drinks me. The man in the +hill there——"</p> + +<p>"What man?" said Bevis, "and how did he get in +the hill? just tell him I want to speak to him."</p> + +<p>"Darling," said the wind, very quiet and softly, +"he is dead, and he is in the little hill you are standing +on, under your feet. At least, he was there once, but +there is nothing of him there now. Still it is his place, +and as he loved me, and I loved him, I come very often +and sing here."</p> + +<p>"When did he die?" said Bevis. "Did I ever see +him?"</p> + +<p>"He died about a minute ago, dear; just before +you came up the hill. If you were to ask the people +who live in the houses, where they will not let me in +(they carefully shut out the sun too), they would tell +you he died thousands of years ago; but they are foolish, +very foolish. It was hardly so long ago as yesterday. +Did not the brook tell you all about that?</p> + +<p>"Now this man, and all his people, used to love me +and drink me, as much as ever they could all day long +and a great part of the night, and when they died they +still wanted to be with me, and so they were all buried +on the tops of the hills, and you will find these curious +little mounds everywhere on the ridges, dear, where I +blow along. There I come to them still, and sing +through the long dry grass, and rush over the turf, and +I bring the scent of the clover from the plain, and the +bees come humming along upon me. The sun comes +too, and the rain. But I am here most; the sun only +shines by day, and the rain only comes now and then.</p> + +<p>"But I am always here, day and night, winter and +summer. Drink me as much as you will, you cannot +drink me away; there is always just as much of me left. +As I told you, the people who were buried in these little +mounds used to drink me, and oh! how they raced along +the turf, dear; there is nobody can run so fast now; +and they leaped and danced, and sang and shouted. I +loved them as I love you, my darling; there, sit down +and rest on the thyme, dear, and I will stroke your hair +and sing to you."</p> + +<p>So Bevis sat down on the thyme, and the wind +began to sing, so low and sweet and so strange an old +song, that he closed his eyes and leaned on his arm on +the turf. There were no words to the song, but Bevis +understood it all, and it made him feel so happy. The +great sun smiled upon him, the great earth bore him +in her arms gently, the wind caressed him, singing +all the while. Now Bevis knew what the wind meant; +he felt with his soul out to the far-distant sun just as +easily as he could feel with his hand to the bunch of +grass beside him; he felt with his soul down through +into the earth just as easily as he could touch the sward +with his fingers. Something seemed to come to him +out of the sunshine and the grass.</p> + +<p>"There never was a yesterday," whispered the +wind presently, "and there never will be to-morrow. +It is all one long to-day. When the man in the hill +was you were too, and he still is now you are here; +but of these things you will know when you are older, +that is if you will only continue to drink me. Come, +dear, let us race on again." So the two went on and +came to a hawthorn-bush, and Bevis, full of mischief +always, tried to slip away from the wind round the +bush, but the wind laughed and caught him.</p> + +<p>A little farther and they came to the fosse of the +old camp. Bevis went down into the trench, and he +and the wind raced round along it as fast as ever they +could go, till presently he ran up out of it on the hill, +and there was the waggon underneath him, with the +load well piled up now. There was the plain, yellow +with stubble; the hills beyond it and the blue valley, +just the same as he had left it.</p> + +<p>As Bevis stood and looked down, the wind caressed +him, and said: "Good-bye, darling, I am going yonder, +straight across to the blue valley and the blue sky, +where they meet; but I shall be back again when you +come next time. Now remember, my dear, to drink +me—come up here and drink me."</p> + +<p>"Shall you be here?" said Bevis, "are you quite +sure you will be here?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," said the wind, "I shall be quite certain to +be here; I promise you, love, I will never go quite +away. Promise me faithfully, too, that you will +come up and drink me, and shout and race and be +happy."</p> + +<p>"I promise," said Bevis, beginning to go down the +hill; "good-bye, jolly old Wind."</p> + +<p>"Good-bye, dearest," whispered the wind, as he +went across out towards the valley. As Bevis went down +the hill, a blue harebell, who had been singing farewell +to summer all the morning, called to him and +asked him to gather her and carry her home as she +would rather go with him than stay now autumn was +near.</p> + +<p>Bevis gathered the harebell, and ran with the +flower in his hand down the hill, and as he ran the wild +thyme kissed his feet and said: "Come again, Bevis, +come again". At the bottom of the hill the waggon +was loaded now; so they lifted him up, and he rode +home on the broad back of the leader.</p> + +<p><br /><br /></p> + +<p>THE ABERDEEN UNIVERSITY PRESS LIMITED.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" /> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WOOD MAGIC***</p> +<p>******* This file should be named 25299-h.txt or 25299-h.zip *******</p> +<p>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:<br /> +<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/5/2/9/25299">http://www.gutenberg.org/2/5/2/9/25299</a></p> +<p>Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed.</p> + +<p>Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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