The Lion's Masquerade A Sequel to The Peacock at Home

When the dawn chorus is drowned out by an uproar of feathers, an old Lion learns that the woodland creatures are still celebrating the Peacock’s celebrated fête. Jealous of the praise lavished on his rival, he resolves to restore his own status with an entertainment grand enough to command every conversation: a royal masquerade for the beasts of the forest.

Invitations fly, costumes are planned, and the Lioness prepares to appear as Britannia while her husband presides in his natural majesty. The Jackal takes charge of the arrangements, Orang-Outangs serve as attendants, and guests arrive in an amusing procession of disguises. A truthful Horse appears as Gulliver’s Houyhnhnm, a scheming Fox adopts the guise of a country attorney, and a Wolf arrives in sheep’s clothing. Told in lively, rhyming verse, this playful animal pageant pokes fun at vanity, social ambition, deception, and the fashionable hunger for public admiration.