"It is one of Mr. Crow's stories," Mrs. Gray Goose said after another
long look at the suffering gander; "but it agrees with what I said about
the wisdom of being suspicious now and then.

"It seems that once upon a time a colored man raised a nice flock of
fowls; but his neighbors, who dearly loved stewed chickens or roasted
turkey, came to dinner so often, that very soon one thin turkey and an
old rooster, were all he had left.

"Just then two friends of the man's wife came to dinner, and, because he
hadn't any meat in the house, there was nothing to do but catch and cook
one of the lonesome looking pair.

"Mr. Turkey Gobbler saw the man coming, and flew up on the top of the
barn, as he cried:

"'I've got other business, and can't go to dinner with you, no matter
how much you want me.'

"'Now he's after me!' Mr. Rooster cried, growing suspicious when the
man caught him by the end of the tail and pulled nearly half the
feathers out.

"'Get under the barn! Get under the barn!' Mr. Turkey screamed, and Mr.
Rooster shouted while he went across the yard as fast as his legs could
carry him:

"'Give me a little time, and I'll win the race; but he's dangerously
near.'