"thou our king!" cried the birds still more angrily. "dost thou think thy cunning shall prevail?" they determined to keep him a prisoner in the hole and starve him out. the owl was placed as sentinel in front of it, and was not to let the rascal out if she had any value for her life. when evening was come all the birds were feeling very tired after exerting their wings so much, so they went to bed with their wives and children. the owl alone remained standing by the mouse-hole, gazing steadfastly into it with her great eyes. in the meantime she, too, had grown tired and thought to herself, "you might certainly shut one eye, you will still watch with the other, and the little miscreant shall not come out of his hole." so she shut one eye, and with the other looked straight at the mouse-hole. the little fellow put his head out and peeped, and wanted to slip away, but the owl came forward immediately, and he drew his head back again. then the owl opened the one eye again, and shut the other, intending to shut them in turn all through the night.