Jasper Jay spent several days looking for the great golden bird that
Jolly Robin had described. But Jasper couldn't find the wonderful
creature anywhere. And he was wondering if it wasn't just a hoax after
all, as he had claimed. He had almost decided to give up his search,
when he chanced to meet Bennie Barn-Swallow one day. Jasper happened
to 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 in
the 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 the
eaves of Farmer Green's barn. So he cried at once: "Then my search is
ended! I'll come over to the barn this afternoon and fight the
upstart."
The news spread quickly--the news of the fight that was going to take
place at Farmer Green's barn. And as soon as he heard it, Jolly Robin
went straight to the barn and asked the golden bird if he wouldn't
leave Pleasant Valley at once.
But the great, gorgeous creature paid no attention to Jolly Robin's
request. Indeed, he seemed not to hear his words at all--though Jolly
Robin 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 be
a fight.
"I wish I hadn't told anyone about the golden bird," he said. "Maybe
he would have flown away before Jasper Jay heard of his being here."
Well, Jasper invited everybody to come to the barn late in the
afternoon to see him whip the golden bird and pull out his
tail-feathers.
"There's going to be some fun," said Jasper Jay. "Nobody ought to miss
it."
So, as the afternoon waned, the feathered folk began to gather in the
orchard. Jolly Robin was there, and his wife, and old Mr. Crow, Rusty
Wren, Bobbie Bobolink, Miss Kitty Catbird, and a good many others as
well. There was a good deal of noise, for everyone was chattering.
And Jasper Jay made almost as great a din as all his friends
together. He boasted in a loud voice that he was going to give the
golden bird a terrible beating. And he was so pleased with himself
that some of his companions whispered to one another that it might be
a good thing if the golden bird gave Jasper a sound whipping.
At last Jasper Jay called out that he was ready. And then he started
for Farmer Green's barn, while the eager crew followed close behind
him. 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, who
shimmered like fire in the slanting rays of the setting sun.
Jolly Robin and Bennie Barn-Swallow had seen him before; so they
weren't surprised. But all the others gazed at him in amazement.
Now, to Jasper Jay the golden bird looked enormous. He was perched
high up on a rod which rose above the roof. And he seemed very proud
and disdainful. In fact, he paid no attention at all to the curious
flock that watched him.
For a little while nobody said a word. And Jasper Jay was the first to
speak.
"Fiddlesticks!" he cried. "This is nothing but a barnyard fowl. He's a
rooster--that's what he is!"