midday
She hastily scurried out into the neighborhood to replenish the fire , for fear anything should delay the sacrifice . I was on my way to the door of the cell when lo ! and behold ! three sacred geese which were accustomed , I suppose , to demand their feed from the old woman at midday , made a rush at me and , surrounding me , made me nervous with their abominable rabid cackling . One tore at my tunic , another undid the lacings of my sandals and tugged at them , but one in particular , the ringleader and moving spirit of this savage attack , did not hesitate to worry at my leg with his serrated bill . Unable to see the joke , I twisted off one of the legs of the little table and , thus armed , began to belabor the pugnacious brute . Nor did I rest content with a light blow , I avenged myself by the death of the goose .