a capon, who had strong reasons for thinking that the time of his sacrifice was near at hand, carefully avoided coming into close quarters with any of the farm servants or domestics of the estate on which he lived. a glimpse that he had once caught of the kitchen, with its blazing fire, and the head cook, like an executioner, with a formidable knife chopping off the heads of some of his companions, had been sufficient to keep him ever after in dread.

hence, one day when he was wanted for roasting, all calling, clucking, and coaxing of the cook's assistants were in vain.

"how deaf and dull you must be," said a falcon to the capon, "not to hear when you are called, or to see when you are wanted! you should take pattern by me. i never let my master call me twice."

"ah," answered the capon, "if falcons were called like capons, to be run upon a spit and set before the kitchen fire, they would be just as slow to come and just as hard of hearing as i am now."