the birds now wished to discuss the matter, and on a fine may morning they all gathered together from the woods and fields: eagles and chaffinches, owls and crows, larks and sparrows, how can i name them all? even the cuckoo came, and the hoopoe, his clerk, who is so called because he is always heard a few days before him, and a very small bird which as yet had no name, mingled with the band. the hen, which by some accident had heard nothing of the whole matter, was astonished at the great assemblage. "what, what, what is going to be done?" she cackled; but the cock calmed his beloved hen, and said, "only rich people," and told her what they had on hand. it was decided, however, that the one who could fly the highest should be king. a tree-frog which was sitting among the bushes, when he heard that, cried a warning, "no, no, no!