"Nonsense," said Carrot Head. But Wise Guy noticed she didn't ask him to join her in song. She didn't say, "Oh, Wise Guy, will you add your WHOOO, WHOOO, WHOOO to my tweeps and twirps? What a song we'll sing!"

Carrot Head spread out her feathers. "You're a little plain for the stage," she said. "But you're just great for everyday!"

Tuck Turtle popped his head right out of his shell.

"Oh, Wise Guy," he said. "Will you join us in our Scaley Skit? Why, we have an extra part. A wise part. A part just right for you."

"How would that look?" said Wise Guy. "Turtles, salamanders, frogs. And an owl! Feathers amidst all those scales! I don't think so. No."

Katt unrolled herself from her snooze in the sun. "Oh Wise Guy," she said, "I have a problem. It's a problem for the wise."

Wise Guy fluttered his feathers. He fanned them out. "What is that," he said.

"What shall I do for Talent Night?" said Katt. "I've scratched. And I've stretched. And I sunned. I have thought and thought. But still I can't think of just the right act. An act that has a surprise. But seems just right." Katt arched her back. "After all, I'm a Cat, Wise Guy," she said. "It's only right that I steal the show."

"Let me think," said Wise Guy.

"Please do," said Katt. She eyed Wise Guy. "You're just the right bird to snap up my act!"

So Wise Guy thought about an act with a surprise.

An act that seemed just right. Being wise, he came up with the act for Katt.

He saw that Katt was right. He was indeed just the right bird for Katt. He had just the right color. Just the right voice. Just the right talent. He was, in fact. a part of Katt's act.

The very next night the chorus of birds flipped and flapped their wings. Fluttered their feathers. Opened their beaks. Out came the song. TWITTER TWEET TWEET TWITTER. The crowd roared and clapped. But Wise Guy wasn't singing. Wise Guy wasn't even on stage.

Next Slither, Slide and Shake slithered and swithered. Glided and slided. And shook, shook, shook their shakey, snakey tails. The crowd cheered and clapped. Clapped and cheered. But Wise Guy didn't cheer. Wise Guy didn't clap. Not for that snakey crew!

Time for the Katt act. Before the whole crowd, right out on stage came Katt and Wise Guy. And then they began . . . .