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Happily, he remembered that there was still one remaining friend, and he cried with dying accents: 'Wasp's-nest, Wasp's-nest, make a sally, Or Drakestail nevermore may rally. Hereupon the scene changes. 'Bs, bs, bayonet them! 'The brave Wasp's-nest rushes out with all his wasps.
'I am going to the King, you know, for what he owes me. 'Oh! take me with thee! Drakestail said to himself: 'We can't be too many friends.... 'I will, says he, 'but you who sleep while you walk will soon be tired. Make yourself quite small, get into my throat go into my gizzard and I will carry you. 'Ah! happy thought! says my friend River.
When the King who was still at table heard this refrain, and the poultry woman came to tell him what had been going on in the yard, he was terribly annoyed. He ordered them to throw this tail of a drake into the well, to make an end of him. And it was done as he commanded. Drakestail was in despair of getting himself out of such a deep hole, when he remembered his lady friend, the Ladder.
But after the first and second year, seeing that they never even dreamed of paying the interest, he became uneasy, so much so that at last he resolved to go and see His Majesty himself, and get repaid. So one fine morning Drakestail, very spruce and fresh, takes the road, singing: 'Quack, quack, quack, when shall I get my money back?
He had not gone far when he met friend Fox, on his rounds that way. 'Good-morning, neighbour, says the friend, 'where are you off to so early? 'I am going to the King for what he owes me. 'Oh! take me with thee! Drakestail said to himself: 'One can't have too many friends. ... 'I will, says he, 'but going on all-fours you will soon be tired.
'I am going to the King for what he owes me. 'Oh! take me with thee! Drakestail said to himself, 'One can't have too many friends.... 'I will, says he, 'but with your battalion to drag along, you will soon be tired. Make yourself quite small, go into my throat get into my gizzard and I will carry you. 'By Jove I that's a good idea! says comrade Wasp's-nest.
Make yourself quite small, get into my throat go into my gizzard and I will carry you. 'Happy thought! says friend Fox. He takes bag and baggage, and, presto! is gone like a letter into the post. And Drakestail is off again, all spruce and fresh, still singing: 'Quack, quack, quack, when shall I have my money back? He had not gone far when he met his lady-friend Ladder, leaning on her wall.
'Ladder, Ladder, come out of thy hold, Or Drakestail's days will soon be told. My friend Ladder, who was only waiting for these words, hastens out, leans her two arms on the edge of the well, then Drakestail climbs nimbly on her back, and hop! he is in the yard, where he begins to sing louder than ever.
Make him come in, and put him with the turkeys and chickens. The porter descends. 'Have the goodness to enter. 'Good! says Drakestail to himself, 'I shall now see how they eat at court. 'This way, this way, says the porter. 'One step further.... There, there you are. 'How? what? in the poultry yard? Fancy how vexed Drakestail was! 'Ah! so that's it, says he. 'Wait!
Then friend Fox, who was only waiting for these words, hastens out, throws himself on the wicked fowls, and quick! quack! he tears them to pieces; so much so that at the end of five minutes there was not one left alive. And Drakestail, quite content, began to sing again, 'Quack, quack, quack, when shall I get my money back?
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