Chapter 11

TIME: _the next day._ PLACE: _Jacob's mill._

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JACOB, THE WISE MILLER. THE FOX.

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[_The_ FOX _enters. He knocks at the mill door._ JACOB _opens the door and comes out. He is covered with meal._]

FOX. Good-morning, Jacob.

JACOB. What do you want, sir?

FOX. I am hungry. I want to eat Peter's chickens.

JACOB. Why do you come to me?

FOX. You do not like Peter.

JACOB. Oh, you know that, do you?

FOX. Oh, yes, I know! Now will you help me to get his chickens?

JACOB. What can I do?

Fox. Put meal on me, till I am white. Then the chickens will think I am a miller.

JACOB. Ah, that is fine! Wait here.

[_He enters the mill._]

FOX. He has gone for meal! Ha, ha, ha, ha!

[JACOB _comes out with a club._]

JACOB. Now go! Go, sir!

FOX. Why, what is this? I said I would eat Peter's chickens.

JACOB. Yes, but you mean to eat mine. Now go! Go, or I will beat you!

[_The Fox runs quickly away._]

THE VAIN JACKDAW

TIME: _last summer._ PLACE: _a public park._

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VAIN JACKDAW. OLD JACKDAW. YOUNG JACKDAW. OTHER JACKDAWS. PEACOCKS.

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[_The_ JACKDAWS _are seen in the park._]

OLD JACKDAW. Come, jackdaws! We must have our breakfast. Come!

[_The Vain Jackdaw stops to look at something on the ground._]

(_To Vain Jackdaw._)

Come, no one should stop to look at anything! Come!

YOUNG JACKDAW. Just look at him. He takes up feathers!

VAIN JACKDAW (_to himself_). How fine I would look in these peacock feathers!

ANOTHER JACKDAW. See how he sticks the feathers in among his own!

YOUNG JACKDAW. See how he struts about in them!

OLD JACKDAW. My son, take off those feathers!

VAIN JACKDAW. It pleases me to wear them.

OLD JACKDAW. Take them off, I say!

VAIN JACKDAW. I will not take them off!

OLD JACKDAW. Then you cannot stay with us.

VAIN JACKDAW. I do not wish to stay with jackdaws. I will not walk with jackdaws. I will not talk with jackdaws. I think myself too fine for jackdaws.

OLD JACKDAW. Then, jackdaws, we will think no more about him. Come, now, to find our breakfast! Come!

[_They go. The_ PEACOCKS _enter._]

VAIN JACKDAW. Good-morning, brothers.

PEACOCKS. Ha, ha, ha!

VAIN JACKDAW. Why do you laugh so, brothers?

PEACOCKS. Ha, ha, ha!

VAIN JACKDAW. You must not laugh, dear brothers. I am a peacock like yourselves.

FIRST PEACOCK. You silly jackdaw!

VAIN JACKDAW. I am no jackdaw. Do I not have feathers like your own?

SECOND PEACOCK. Ha, ha! I dropped them on the ground this morning.

THIBAUD PEACOCK. Let's take them from him!

VAIN JACKDAW. No, no! I beg you--

FIRST PEACOCK. Come, let's pull them out!

[_They pull the peacock feathers from the jackdaw._]

THIRD PEACOCK. You cannot stay with us!

SECOND PEACOCK. Go back to the jackdaws!

FIRST PEACOCK. Away with you! Away!

[_The jackdaw runs. The peacocks go, laughing. The other_ JACKDAWS _enter, followed by the_ VAIN JACKDAW.]

VAIN JACKDAW. Ah, here you are! I have been looking for you.

OLD JACKDAW. Why do you look for us?

VAIN JACKDAW. I am a jackdaw. I want to be with jackdaws.

OLD JACKDAW. We will have nothing more to do with you! Away!

VAIN JACKDAW. But, brothers, my dear, dear brothers, please let me stay with you!

OLD JACKDAW. You would not walk with jackdaws! Away!

YOUNG JACKDAW. You would not talk with jackdaws! Away!

ANOTHER JACKDAW. You thought yourself too fine for jackdaws! Away!

ALL JACKDAWS. Away! Away!

[_They drive the Vain Jackdaw from the park._]

THE LITTLE JACKAL AND THE CAMEL