Judge — December 9, 1893 — page 13: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon satirizes a reversal of power dynamics, likely political. An ostrich (representing a figure of authority or strength) is asked by a chicken (representing someone weaker or subordinate) for protection—a humorous inversion since ostriches are larger birds. The dialogue "Help! help! Dey's pullin' me in" and the physical struggle depicted suggest the ostrich is being forcibly drawn into the hen-house despite its size advantage. "The Tables Turned" reinforces this theme of role reversal. The phonetic dialect ("Dey's," "Uh! uh!") was common in period humor, though reflects offensive stereotyping conventions of early 20th-century American satire. Without clearer identification of the specific political figures or moment referenced, the exact target remains unclear—but the core joke concerns unexpected loss of power or authority by the apparently stronger party.