"He is the common enemy of all nature, and deserves a hundred and fifty thousand deaths," exclaimed they all with one voice.
I began to be heartily ashamed of myself, and was casting about how I might slip away, from hearing these pleasant reproaches; but curiosity and listlessness together, kept me quiet, while they continued to discuss the best mode of destroying the tyrant. There was as usual in such cases, great diversity of opinion.
"I'll bury my talons in his brain," said the eagle.
"I'll tear out his eyes," screamed the hawk.
"I'll whip him to death with my tail," barked the fox.
"I'll sting him home," hissed the rattle-snake.
"I'll poison him," said the spider.
"I'll fly-blow him," buzzed the fly.
"I'll drown him, if he'll only come into the brook, so I will," quoth the trout.
"I'll drag him into my hole, and do his business there, I warrant," said the ant; and thereupon there was a giggle among the whole set.
And I'll—I'll"—said the worm.
"What will you do, you poor d—l," exelaimed the rest in a titter.
"What will I do? why I'll eat him after he's dead," replied sir worm; and then he strutted about, until he unwarily came so near that he slipt into the brook, and was snapt up in a moment by the trout. The example was contagious.
"Oho! are you for that sport," mewed the cat, and clawed the trout before he could get his head under water.
"Tit for tat," barked Reynard, and snatching pussy up in his teeth, was off like a shot.
"Since 'tis the fashion," said the spider, "I'll have a crack at that same blue-bottle;" and thereupon he nabbed the poor fly in a twinkling.
"By your leave," said the toad, and snapt up the spider in less than no time.
"You ugly thief of the world," hissed the rattle-snake, in great wrath, and indignantly laying hold of the toad, managed to swallow him about half way, where he lay in all his glory.
"What a nice morsel for my poor fatherless little ones," cooed the dove, and peeking at the ant, was just flying away with it in quite a sentimental style, when the hawk seeing this, screamed out—
