The Washington times., 1911-03-17
-oR a long time the rooster had
- been the king Of the barnyard.
and had been looked up to by ev-

OR a long time the rooster had
- been the king Of the barnyard.
and had been looked up to by ev-
cry member of Farmer Golden's
! flock of hens and ducks and geese, but
| all at once he found himself standing
alone in the ward with no one admiring
him and no one asking him his opinion
on the topics OF the day.
The reason was that Farmer Golden
had bought a peacock ard on this the
first morning of his life at the Golden
farm he was the center of attention for
all the feathered folk of the whole farm.
isn't he wonderful?" asked the
guinea hen.
"And what marvellous feathersg' said
the duck. ..
IF he only had nv feet" said the
goose, 'he would be perfect in every
thing"
The peacock strutted about as he lis
tened to all the praise and spread his
tail again and again for the other birds
to admire. He did not say a word, how
ever, and added no wisdom to his dis
play of beauty.
Day after day it was the same. The
rooster stood alone and unnoticed at the
far side of the yard. while the peacock
strutted on the lawn and the rest Of the
flock watched him in admiration.
At length one morning the rooster
growing tired of the lack Of attention
decided that he would like to change
himself ino a peacock and win back
his place Of leadership.
! The black bird he knew had travelled
very widely and knew a great deal Of
the world, and so he went to the edge
of the wood to consult him.
Sir Blackbird," he said, when he had
found him, Il have been robbed of the
place of the leader of the flock by a
peacock which the master has brought
to the farm, and for days l have
scarcely seen anyone in the hen yard
or heard any more than the far-away
admiration which floats from the edge
of the lawn. have decided that l wish
to change myself into peacock, and
have come to you to find out how 1t can
be done"
1T can be done" said the blackbird,
but do you know / think ii would be
very foolish thing for you to do.
"Why?' asked the rooster. Il am left
all alone now, and then l should be as
much admired as he is and as happy.
"Perhaps." said the blackbird, you
might be as much admired, but you
would not be so happy. You would not
enjoy dragging that immense tail be-
hind you day after day. You could not
crow at sunrise, and when you acquired
his beauty you would at the same time
lose your wisdom"
rs not the peacock wise?" asked the
rooster.
He is wise in only one thing" said
blackbird," and that is in knowing
enough not to say anything, for you will
notice that while all the flock has ad-
mired his beauty you have not heard
one of them repeat single bit of wis
dom that has fallen from his bill.
There is a much easier way" contin-
ued the blackbird, for you to retain
your standing in the barnyard and l
think can arrange IT."
How will you do it?" asked the roos-
ter.
Are you as brave as you were in
YOUR former days?" asked the black
bird.
Indeed am" said the rooster. land
much stronger"
Then the way Is easy said the
bIackbird. "At noon today l will send
a hawk to fly over the barnyard and
you may regain your supremacy with
all the fowls
The rooster went back to the barn