Part 5 (1/2)

And hearing this she sat down and screamed.

”Arise and a.s.sert your rights,” said Purrier, ”and I will help you.

Let us go together to Crafticus, and if he be as careless about your bed as about your food, you just scream and scream till you get what you want.”

So they went along side by side, and when they entered the barn and looked into the box, Crafticus appeared to be in a deep sleep, but he was only pretending.

Purrier leaped in softly and lay beside him. ”Oh this is cold,” said he. Then he went to the other side and lay down. ”Oh, this is cold also,” and he rose up s.h.i.+vering. Then he poked his paw under the fox and whispered--”Ha, ha, this is warm. The selfish fellow--it is just like him to choose the warmest spot. Come and judge for yourself, poor neglected Stupidify.”

The goose jumped in clumsily and fell on her fat breast. Then she poked her beak under Crafticus and found it to be as the cat had said.

It never struck her that the heat came from the fox's own body.

”Now, demand your rights,” said Purrier, ”demand a share of the comfortable spot,” and he went away and lay down among the dried gra.s.s.

”I want my rights,” cried the goose, in the fox's ear.

”What?” said Crafticus, rubbing his eyes.

”I want my rights, I want you to move.”

”You have got your rights and double your rights. You can rest on either side of me and I have only the centre.”

”I want my share of the warm part.”

”How can the centre be warmer than the sides?”

”Let me try,” said the goose.

”All right, but it is very disturbing,” replied the fox, and he rose up and let the goose sit down.

”It is just as I felt with my beak, it is the warmest spot, and you can't deny it. Now, I want my share of it.”

”You won't get it, your request is absurd,” and he pushed her aside.

Then he lay down and buried his eyes in his tail, as if trying to sleep.

Stupidify looked as if she might give in.

”Demand your rights,” cried Purrier, in a shrill menacing voice; ”the king is on your side,” he added, with an emphatic yell.

”I want my rights,” cried the goose, encouraged to quarrelsomeness, and she bit Crafticus on the ear.

”Stupidify,” said the fox, slowly raising his head, ”you are breaking my rest. Don't you know that I have to run in the king's chamois chase to-morrow, and that I need all the sleep I can get?”

”The king is my friend,” answered the goose with a chuckle and a stubborn look.

”Do let me alone,” rejoined the fox, as he buried his face again in his tail. But it was no use.

”I want my rights, I want my rights,” screamed the goose, and she went on demanding them or scolding and hissing every now and then till midnight.

At last Crafticus arose and said--”I can't stand this any longer. I can't get any sleep, and I shall be quite unfit for the king's chase.”