"'Whoo--hoo! whoo--hoo! More eggs--give me more eggs, or I'll scratch
your eyes out,' shrieked the owl, and began to whet its beak on a beam
in such a savage manner that the three cocks fled in terror to the top
of the chimney.
"Having somewhat recovered from their alarm, they went down and told
Flaps, who was basking in the sunshine, that the owl must be got rid of.
"'What, are all the mice eaten, then?' inquired he.
"'Alas!' answered one of the cocks, 'the brute will eat nothing but eggs
now, and threatens to scratch our eyes out if we don't supply as many
more as it wants.'
"'Wait till noonday,' said the dog, 'and I'll soon bring the rascal to
reason.'
"At twelve o'clock Flaps quietly pushed the door open and went up into
the loft. There sat the old owl winking and blinking in a corner.
"'So you are the robber who is going to scratch people's eyes out,' said
Flaps. 'For this you must die!'
"'That remains to be seen,' sneered the owl; 'but eyes I will have, and
dogs' eyes too!' and with that it swooped down upon Flaps' head; but the
old dog seized the bird between his teeth and killed it, though not
before one of his own eyes had been scratched out in the struggle.
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