two in the morning
Round it stand the snug out-buildings , barn , corn-chamber , cider-press , stables , with a blinker 'd horse in every doorway munching , while his driver tightens buckles , whistles and looks down the lane , dallying to begin his labour till the milkmaids be gone by . Here the cock comes forth at last ; -- where has he been lingering ? -- eggs may tell to-morrow -- he claps his wings and shouts ` cock-a-doodle ' ; and no other cock dare look at him . Two or three go sidling off , waiting till their spurs be grown ; and then the crowd of partlets comes , chattering how their lord has dreamed , and crowed at two in the morning , and praying that the old brown rat would only dare to face him . But while the cock is crowing still , and the pullet world admiring him , who comes up but the old turkey-cock , with all his family round him . Then the geese at the lower end begin to thrust their breasts out , and mum their down-bits , and look at the gander and scream shrill joy for the conflict ; while the ducks in pond show nothing but tail , in proof of their strict neutrality . While yet we dread for the coming event , and the fight which would jar on the morning , behold the grandmother of sows , gruffly grunting right and left with muzzle which no ring may tame -LRB- not being matrimonial -RRB- , hulks across between the two , moving all each side at once , and then all of the other side as if she were chined down the middle , and afraid of spilling the salt from her .