"That's strange!" Jolly Robin exclaimed. "We are very fond of eachother--my cousin and I. By the way," he added, "did you happen tonotice what sort of waistcoat he was wearing?"
Mr. Crow said he had noticed; and that it was a light-colored one withdark spots.
"Dear me!" said Jolly Robin. "I was hoping he had put on a red one.But since he moved in such a hurry, perhaps he hadn't time tochange."
Whether that was the case, Jolly Robin never learned. For he never sawhis cousin the Hermit again.
XVI
JEALOUS JASPER JAY
The feathered folk in Pleasant Valley were all aflutter. They hadheard a strange tale--the oddest tale, almost, that had ever been toldin their neighborhood.
It was Jolly Robin who had started the story. And since he was not inthe habit of playing jokes on people, everybody believed what hesaid--at least, everybody except Jasper Jay. He declared from thefirst that Jolly Robin's tale was a hoax.
"I claim that there's not a word of truth in it!" Jasper Jay said.
Now, there was a reason why Jasper spoke in that disagreeable way. Hedidn't want the story to be true. And, somehow, he felt that if hesaid it was a hoax, it would really prove to be one.
"I know well enough," said Jasper, "that there's no golden bird inPleasant Valley--and nowhere else, either!"
You see, Jolly Robin had hurried to the woods one day and toldeveryone he met that a wonderful golden bird had come to PleasantValley.
"He's not just yellow, like a goldfinch. He's solid gold all over,from the tip of his bill to the tip of his tail. Even his feet aregolden. And he glistens in the sunshine as if he were afire!" That wasthe way Jolly Robin described the marvellous newcomer. "He's thehandsomest bird that ever was seen," he added.
Perhaps Jasper Jay was jealous. You know he was a great dandy, beingvery proud of his blue suit, which was really quite beautiful.Anyhow, Jasper Jay began to sulk as soon as he heard the news.
"Where is this magnificent person?" he asked Jolly Robin with a sneer."Do let me see him! And if he wants to fight, I'll soon spoil hisfinery for him. He won't look so elegant after I've pulled out histail-feathers."
But Jolly Robin wouldn't tell anybody where he had seen the wonderfulbird. He said the golden bird was three times as big as Jasper Jay.And he didn't want Jasper to get hurt, even if he was sodisagreeable.
Anyone can see, just from that, that Jolly Robin was very kind.
"You'd better be careful, or I'll fight you, too!" Jasper warned him.
But Jolly was not afraid. He knew that Jasper was something of abraggart and a bully. He had chased Jasper once. And he thought hecould do it again, if he had to.
"My cousin will tell me where to find this yellow fellow," said JasperJay at last. "There's not much that happens in Pleasant Valley that mycousin doesn't know about." So he flew off to find old Mr. Crow--forhe was the cousin of whom Jasper was speaking.
Jasper found Mr. Crow in his favorite tree in the pine woods. And sureenough! the old gentleman seemed to know all about the golden bird.But like Jolly Robin, he refused to say where he had seen him. To tellthe truth, Mr. Crow had never set eyes on the strange bird. But he didnot like to admit it. "He's a great credit to the neighborhood," saidold Mr. Crow. "And you'd better let him alone, if you should happen tofind him, because he's solid gold, you know. And if you flew at himand tried to peck him, just as likely as not you'd break your bill onhim, he's so hard."
Old Mr. Crow's warning, however, had no effect at all upon JasperJay.
"I'm going to search every corner in the valley until I find this fop.And I'll teach him that he'd better get out of our neighborhood withhis fine airs."
When he heard that, old Mr. Crow shook his head.
"You're going to have trouble!" he told Jasper. And then he hurriedaway to tell Jolly Robin that he ought to advise the golden bird toleave Pleasant Valley.
But Jolly Robin said he had not spoken with the stranger. And neverhaving talked with a golden bird, he felt a bit shy about sayinganything to him.
"Then there'll be a terrible fight, I'm afraid," said Mr. Crow.
"I'm afraid so," Jolly Robin agreed. And strange as it may seem, theyboth said that if there was going to be a fight they didn't want tomiss seeing it.
XVII
ONLY A ROOSTER
Jasper Jay spent several days looking for the great golden bird thatJolly Robin had described. But Jasper couldn't find the wonderfulcreature anywhere. And he was wondering if it wasn't just a hoax afterall, as he had claimed. He had almost decided to give up his search,when he chanced to meet Bennie Barn-Swallow one day. Jasper happenedto mention that he was on the lookout for Jolly Robin's strange bird;and Bennie Barn-Swallow said quickly:
"Do you mean the bird of gold?"
"The bird of _brass_, I should say!" Jasper replied, with his nose inthe air. "You haven't seen him, have you?"
"Why, yes!" said Bennie. "He stays right near my house."
Of course, Jasper Jay knew that Bennie lived in a mud house, under theeaves of Farmer Green's barn. So he cried at once: "Then my search isended! I'll come over to the barn this afternoon and fight theupstart."
The news spread quickly--the news of the fight that was going to takeplace at Farmer Green's barn. And as soon as he heard it, Jolly Robinwent straight to the barn and asked the golden bird if he wouldn'tleave Pleasant Valley at once.
But the great, gorgeous creature paid no attention to Jolly Robin'srequest. Indeed, he seemed not to hear his words at all--though JollyRobin thought the stranger was just pretending.
Jolly had to sing a good many songs that day to keep up his spirits.Somehow, he felt that it was all his fault that there was going to bea fight.
"I wish I hadn't told anyone about the golden bird," he said. "Maybehe would have flown away before Jasper Jay heard of his being here."
Well, Jasper invited everybody to come to the barn late in theafternoon to see him whip the golden bird and pull out histail-feathers.
"There's going to be some fun," said Jasper Jay. "Nobody ought to missit."
So, as the afternoon waned, the feathered folk began to gather in theorchard. Jolly Robin was there, and his wife, and old Mr. Crow, RustyWren, Bobbie Bobolink, Miss Kitty Catbird, and a good many others aswell. There was a good deal of noise, for everyone was chattering.And Jasper Jay made almost as great a din as all his friendstogether. He boasted in a loud voice that he was going to give thegolden bird a terrible beating. And he was so pleased with himselfthat some of his companions whispered to one another that it might bea good thing if the golden bird gave Jasper a sound whipping.
At last Jasper Jay called out that he was ready. And then he startedfor Farmer Green's barn, while the eager crew followed close behindhim. They all alighted on the ridge of the barn. And like Jasper Jay,they sat there for a short time and stared at the golden bird, whoshimmered like fire in the slanting rays of the setting sun.
Jolly Robin and Bennie Barn-Swallow had seen him before; so theyweren't surprised. But all the others gazed at him in amazement.
Now, to Jasper Jay the golden bird looked enormous. He was perchedhigh up on a rod which rose above the roof. And he seemed very proudand disdainful. In fact, he paid no attention at all to the curiousflock that watched him.
For a little while nobody said a word. And Jasper Jay was the first tospeak.
"Fiddlesticks!" he cried. "This is nothing but a barnyard fowl. He's arooster--that's what he is!"
XVIII
ON TOP OF THE BARN
All the feathered folk on the roof of Farmer Green's barn saw at oncethat Jasper Jay had told the truth. The golden bird was a rooster,just as Jasper had said. But it seemed strange to them that a roostershould sit on so high a perch.
"It looks to me," said old Mr. Crow, "it looks to me as if he hadflown up here and lighted on that rod and then was afraid to fly downagain."
"I'll knock him off!" cried Jasper Jay. And he made ready to swoop atthe stranger.
&nbs
p; "I wouldn't do that!" said Jolly Robin.
"No!" Jasper Jay replied. "I know you wouldn't. You'd be _afraid_ todo such a thing."
"It's not that," Jolly Robin told him, "though he _is_ ten times mysize. This is what I mean: He's a peaceable fellow. And though I willadmit that he seems a little too proud, he hasn't harmed anybody. Sowhy should anybody harm him?"
"He's a barnyard fowl and he belongs on the ground," Jasper Jaydeclared. "If we let him stay up here in the air there's no knowingwhat Farmer Green's fowls will do. All his hens and roosters--and hehas a hundred of 'em--may take to flying about where they don'tbelong. This golden gentleman is setting them a bad example. And it ismy duty to teach him a lesson."
Now, the real reason why Jasper wanted to knock the golden roosteroff his high perch was because he was so handsome. Jasper's fine bluesuit looked quite dull beside the golden dress of the stranger. Andthat was more than Jasper could stand.
"Here I go!" Jasper cried. And he left his friends and flew straightat the golden fowl.
Jasper struck the rooster such a hard blow that he spun around on hisperch twice. But he didn't lose his balance. And he never said asingle word.
"I'll pull out his tail-feathers this time!" Jasper squawked, as hedarted at the stranger again. But Jasper had no luck at all. Though hepecked viciously at the tail of the golden rooster, he succeeded onlyin hurting his own bill.
Several times Jasper tried. But not one tail-feather came away. Andsome of the onlookers began to smile. Old Mr. Crow even guffawedaloud. But Jasper Jay pretended not to hear him.
"Don't you think we'd better go away?" Jolly Robin asked Jasper atlast.
"I think _you_ had better leave," Jasper screamed. He was very angry,because he knew that his friends were laughing at him. And instead offlying at the golden rooster again he made a swift attack on JollyRobin.
Being angry, Jasper had forgotten that Jolly Robin's wife was present.And to the blue-coated rascal there seemed suddenly to be as many assix Jolly Robins, each one with a furious wife, too.
Jasper fought his hardest. But he was no match for them. Very soon hemade for the woods; and as he flew away a blue tail-feather with awhite tip floated down into the barnyard, where Johnnie Green hadstood for some minutes, watching the strange sight on the roof of hisfather's barn.
Johnnie picked up the feather and stuck it in his hat. And when hetold his father, later, how a big blue jay had tried to whip the newweather-vane and a pair of robins as well, Farmer Green threw back hishead and laughed loudly.
"Don't you believe me?" Johnnie asked him. "Here's the blue jay'stail-feather, anyhow. And that ought to prove that I am telling thetruth."
But Farmer Green only laughed all the more. You see, he could hardlybelieve all the strange things that happened in the neighborhood.
XIX
CURIOUS MR. CROW
Living in the orchard as they did, near the farmhouse, Jolly Robin andhis wife knew more about Farmer Green's family than any of the otherbirds in Pleasant Valley, except maybe Rusty Wren. Being a house wren,Rusty was naturally on the best of terms with all the people in thefarmhouse.
But all summer long Rusty Wren never strayed far from home. So it wasJolly Robin who told his friends in the woods many strange storiesabout what happened near the orchard. His account of the golden birdwas only one of many curious tales that he related to the wonderingwood-creatures.
Being so cheerful and having so much interesting news to tell, JollyRobin was welcome wherever he went. And when his friends met him inthe woods or the fields they were sure to stop and ask him if hehadn't some new story to tell. One day old Mr. Crow even took thetrouble to fly all the way across the cornfield to the edge of thewoods, where his sharp eyes had seen Jolly Robin eating wildcherries.
"I say, what do you know that's new?" Mr. Crow asked him. The oldgentleman was a very curious person. Being a great gossip, he wasalways on the lookout for something to talk about.
"I don't believe I've seen anything lately that would interest you,"Jolly replied, "unless it's the four-armed man."
Mr. Crow looked up quickly.
"What's that you say?" he exclaimed.
"The four-armed man!" Jolly Robin repeated.
"Is that a joke?" Mr. Crow asked. He was inclined to be suspicious,because he always disliked having tricks played upon him. "I've heardof--and seen--a two-headed calf," he remarked. "But a four-armed manis a little too much for me to believe in, unless I behold him with myown eyes."
Jolly Robin laughed.
"It's no joke at all!" he declared.
"Then what are you laughing at?" Mr. Crow inquired severely.
"Nothing!" Jolly Robin answered. "It's just a habit of mine tolaugh."
"Very well!" said Mr. Crow. "I accept your apology. But please don'tdo it again.... And now," he added, "where, pray, is this wonderfulfour-armed man?"
"In the barnyard!" Jolly Robin informed him. "I've often seen himlately, walking between the house and the barn. He looks a good deallike the hired-man. But of course it can't be he, for thehired-man--as you yourself know--has but two arms."
"I must have a look at this monster," Mr. Crow remarked. "When wouldbe a good time for me to see him?"
"At milking-time," Jolly Robin told him. "If you'll meet me on thebridge down the road when you see Johnnie Green and old dog Spotdriving the cows home from the pasture this afternoon, I'll be glad toshow you the four-armed man. And then you'll admit that I'm notjoking."
"I'll certainly be there--" Mr. Crow promised--"but on one condition.You must tell me now whether you have ever known this queer being tofire a gun. If a two-armed man can shoot one gun, I see no reason whya four-armed man could not fire at least two guns at the same time.And if there's any chance of such a thing happening, I would not careto be present."
Jolly Robin had hard work to keep from laughing again. The very ideaof the four-armed man aiming two guns at old Mr. Crow struck him asbeing very funny. He couldn't speak at all for a few moments. But heshook his head violently.
"You think there's no danger, then?" said Mr. Crow, anxiously.
"None at all!" Jolly Robin answered him. "He carries nothing moredangerous than milk-pails."
"Then I'll meet you on the bridge," Mr. Crow promised.
XX
THE FOUR-ARMED MAN
Old dog Spot was driving the last cow down the lane when Jolly Robinand Mr. Crow met on the bridge near the farmhouse, as they hadagreed.
"Now, then--" said Mr. Crow, even before his broad wings had settledsmoothly along his back--"now, then, where's the four-armed man?"
Jolly looked towards the barnyard.
"I don't see him yet," he said. "But he ought to appear any momentnow. Let's move over to the big oak, for we can get a better view ofthe barnyard from the top of it."
Mr. Crow was more than willing. So they flew to the oak and waited fora time. They saw the cows file into the barn, each finding her ownplace in one of the two long rows of stanchions that faced each otheracross the wide aisle running the length of the barn. It was throughthat aisle that the men walked with great forkfuls of hay in thewinter time, which they flung down before the cows, who munched itcontentedly.
But it was summer now. And the cows found their own food in thepasture on the hillside. They came to the barn only to be milked.
"It's milking-time right now," Jolly Robin remarked. "And pretty soonyou'll see the four-armed man come out of the barn with some pailsfull of milk. He'll carry them into the house, to set them in thebuttery. We'll have a good look at him without his knowing anythingabout it."
And that was exactly what happened.
"Here he comes!" Jolly Robin exclaimed, as a figure stepped out of thebarn and began walking toward the house. "Now, you'll have to admitthat I wasn't joking when I told you the news of this strange being.You ought to be pretty glad I let you know about the four-armed man,Mr. Crow. I guess you never saw anything quite so queer as he is, evenif you _have_ seen a two-headed calf."
Jolly Robin said a great dealmore to Mr. Crow. And he was so pleased that he started to sing asong.
But Mr. Crow quickly silenced him.
"Do keep still!" he whispered. "Do you want to get me into trouble?It's bad enough to have a trick like this played on me, without yourmaking such a noise. Farmer Green might shoot me if he saw me so nearhis house. I thought--" Mr. Crow added--"I thought you laughed alittle too much when you told me about your four-armed man. It's ahoax--a joke--a trick--and a very poor one, too."
Jolly Robin was puzzled enough by Mr. Crow's disagreeable remarks.
"I don't understand how you can say those things," he said.
Mr. Crow looked narrowly at his small companion before answering. Andthen he asked:
"Do you mean to say you never heard of a neck-yoke?"
"Never!" cried Jolly Robin.
"Well, well!" said Mr. Crow. "The ignorance of some people is morethan I can understand.... That was no four-armed man. You said helooked like Farmer Green's hired-man; and it is not surprising thathe does, for he is the hired-man. He has found an old neck-yokesomewhere. It is just a piece of wood that fits about his shouldersand around his neck and sticks out on each side of him like an arm.And he hooks a pail of milk to each end of the yoke, carrying his loadin that way. I supposed," said Mr. Crow, "that people had stoppedusing neck-yokes fifty years ago. It's certainly that long since I'veseen one."
"Then it's no wonder that I made a mistake!" Jolly Robin cried. "ForI'm too young ever to have heard of a neck-yoke, even." And he laughedand chuckled merrily. "It's a good joke on me!" he said.