THE HERON AS A TABLE - BIRD 111 



Then he went out and left them staring into 

 each other's pale face. However, the painful task 

 had to be performed, and they loyally went to 

 work and plucked it, but in cleaning it received a 

 shock at finding a trout about a foot in length in 

 a semi-decomposed condition in its gullet. After 

 refreshing themselves with sal -volatile and half 

 an hour in the garden, they finished the hateful 

 business by singeing it and pumping many gallons 

 of water over its carcase, and then towards evening 

 put it in the oven to roast or bake. The smell of 

 it was very trying and not only made the kitchen 

 atmosphere almost not to be borne but pervaded 

 the whole house, causing them to look forward 

 more and more apprehensively to the evening 

 dinner. Still, they were determined to do every- 

 thing to please their brother, and got out their 

 best table-cloth and silver, flowers for decoration, 

 and wine and coloured glasses; and the brother 

 when he sat down smiled on them approvingly. 

 Then the heron on a big dish was brought in, and 

 the brother rose to carve it, and heaped their 

 plates with generous slices of the lean black flesh, 

 and helped himself even more generously. They 

 having been helped first had to begin, but to put 

 even the smallest morsel into their mouths was 

 more than they could do. They pretended to cut 

 and eat it while confining themselves to the 

 vegetables on their plates. Their brother was not 

 affected with such squeamishness and straightway 

 started operations, and did honour to the heron 



