Part 4

"The birds," said daddy, "found a new room for breakfast. It was in a row of bushes--and the bushes were berry bushes.

"One day as they were having the best sort of a time eating, who should look down at them but the king of the clouds. He looked quite dark and solemn.

"'Te-wit,' said one little bird, and another said,

"'Tr-r-r-i-l-l.'

"'How about some water to drink?' asked the king of the clouds. 'Some nice, fresh water?'

"The birds began chirping for all they were worth. The grown-ups said, 'Listen to the noise the birds are making. It must be going to rain--they're crying for water.'

"And sure enough, they were begging the king of the clouds to send some of his army of raindrops down to the earth.

"'Please, please, please, Cloud King, send us rain-water,' chirped the birds.

"'All right,' roared the cloud king. 'I will.'

"'But we don't want thunder,' said the birds. 'We want to stay out, and we're afraid of thunder. Won't you send us a good old-fashioned shower?'

"And the cloud king called, 'Raindrops, raindrops, come and patter down to the earth. But gently, little raindrops. And when you see the beak of a little bird open, one small raindrop must walk inside.'

"Down came the raindrops very softly and gently to the earth.

"'Children,' called Mother Robin, 'come for your baths in these hollow stones. They're filled with water.'

"All around the mother birds were calling the little ones to their baths.

"'Oh,' said one little robin as he ducked his head into the water, and then shook all over and spattered it about, 'how nice a bath does feel.'

"The cloud king looked so bright and happy, that the mother birds were afraid it would stop raining. 'Don't stop, Cloud King,' they chirped.

"'I won't,' said the cloud king. And the birds twittered and sang and wet their little throats with the delicious rain-water.

"After the cloud king and his army of raindrops had been working for quite a long time, one of the birds noticed that the new breakfast room in the berry bushes was getting very wet.

"'It will spoil our berries for breakfast, I'm afraid,' he said.

"But the berries whispered back,

"'No; we like the rain too. We needed some water to drink. And more of us will come to-morrow. Your breakfast will be better than ever.'

"So all day long the rain kept up gently. When it was almost bedtime who should appear but old Mr. Sun.

"'Shall I dry your little feathers?' he said to the birds.

"And every little bird in birdland was warm and dry and happy when he tucked his head under his wing that night."

THE ROBINS' SPRING CONCERT

"The robins gave their spring concert the other morning for the fairies," said daddy. "They give one every year just after most of their family have arrived for the summer. It is one of the biggest events of the spring in fairyland, and they are so excited about it for days ahead that they can talk about nothing else. They've practised so hard and so long lately that the day has been quite far gone many a time, when some little robin has been trying over and over again some important trill which he was going to sing alone.

"But the concert was given just at dawn. Mr. Sun came out for it, looking as fine as any king with a very dazzling golden crown on his head. Then the dew-drops came and had reserved seats on the little blades of grass. Some of the early butterflies were invited, and the little spring garden flowers opened their sleepy eyes and waved about, keeping time with the music.

"First of all was the grand opening chorus. Mr. Robin Redbreast had a little stick with which he beat time, and all the robins sang a fine song which he had made up himself.

"Then came the solos. Miss Robin Redbreast sang a beautiful song all by herself.

"Then two little brother robins sang a song together--they called it a 'duet,' which was very funny. They acted as they sang, and made all the fairies and the other guests at the concert laugh hard.

"But best of all was the band. It was a new band the robins had just started, and they were very proud of it. It was a great surprise to the fairies, for they didn't know the robins had a band. As you can guess, the robins had worked hard for a big surprise for the fairies. Ten little robins played the drums, which were tiny twigs from the apple tree. There were little spring leaves through which some of the others whistled tunes, and the rest played on horn-shaped flowers.

"After the concert was finished and the fairies had clapped and clapped and waved their wands with delight, and the little robins had bowed and bowed--and fallen down, sometimes making too low bows--they all had breakfast. Such a breakfast! The most luscious of worms were given the little robins and a special dish was made for the fairies of spring porridge, which Grandmother Robin had made, and which the fairies called 'Delicious.'"

THE CROWS AT THE FAIRIES' BALL

"The fairies had one of their fine balls just two evenings ago," said daddy.

"Among their guests were the brownies, elves, gnomes, many of the birds, butterflies, humming-birds, red lizards, grasshoppers, and crickets. The crickets had arranged to sing for the dancing and the humming-birds said they would hum the tunes all the time that the crickets sang. The robins sang some extra songs, and, of course, the other birds joined in the chorus.

"Then came supper time. The table was made of daisies and moss, and such delicacies! Well, it would have made your mouth water!

"They had the goodies that every guest would enjoy most. Not a guest was forgotten. There were even little worms for the birds--and the other guests didn't mind at all, as they knew the robins and orioles and other bird guests loved little worms. They were given to the birds in special dishes made of grass.

"But just as all the guests sat down to supper the fairy queen said: 'Come, all my fine waiters!' And as she said this she waved her wand high in the air.

"Then from far and near the blackest of black crows flew down and alighted all around the table. They had promised the fairy queen to be just as good as good could be, and to wait on all the guests before they had anything at all to eat. They were quite willing to do this, for they had never been invited to a ball given by the fairies before and they were highly flattered.

"They all had had their black suits polished and brushed with the greatest care and they wore very fine aprons and hats made of green leaves. Every time a guest said 'Thank you' when anything was passed, a crow would say, 'Caw-caw,' which means 'You're welcome.'

"The crows always say 'Caw-caw' to almost everything, but it is just the tone they use that makes the 'Caw-caw' mean something quite different each time they want it to. At the end of the supper, after the crows had had a feast, too, the fairy queen asked them if they wouldn't sing the old, old song about blackbirds being baked in a pie.

"At first the crows looked a bit sad, but then they said: 'Why, of course, we'll be happy to sing it. It's lots of fun to sing about such things after we have had a feast and know quite well that the fairy queen wouldn't bake us in a pie.'

"How the guests did laugh to hear the crows singing about blackbirds being baked in a pie--and stopping every minute to shout out, 'Not us, though, oh, no!'--and the fairy queen was delighted."

THE NAUGHTY LITTLE SICK SNOWBIRD

Daddy had been encouraging Jack and Evelyn to feed the little birds that came outside the window. So one evening when it was time for their story he told them about the Christmas a little snowbird had had the year before.

"He was a very self-willed little fellow," commenced daddy, "and he thought no one knew so much about life as he did. During the autumn he had become very chummy with the sparrows. His daddy and mother didn't like that much, as they were afraid he would become as rude and noisy as the sparrows were.

"When the cold weather came the snowbirds decided to leave, but the little wilful snowbird was nowhere to be found. 'Where could he have gone?' asked Mother Snowbird, and daddy said, 'Oh, probably he left this morning with the robins and wrens, for I saw him playing with them!' That eased Mother Snowbird's fears, and off they started.

"When the little snowbird saw that his family had flown away he came out from his hiding-place. He really felt a little homesick and was sorry he hadn't gone, too; but, of course, he didn't dare admit it, for the sparrows had told him only stupid children were obedient. They admired his naughty disobedience and thought it was a great joke to worry his family.

"A few weeks went by, and the days became colder and colder. One night he felt so cold and so unhappy that he flew away from the sparrows, expecting to die any moment.

"The next morning he was found, half dead, by a little girl. She took him in her house, warmed his frozen feet and fed him bits of crumbs and drops of water. Slowly he began to recover.

"It was the day before Christmas, and he was perched on the window-sill in the sun, when, to his huge joy, he saw Daddy and Mother Snowbird outside the window. He flew against the window-glass. The little girl came rushing into the room to see what the trouble was. She was sure from his joyous actions that the other two snowbirds were his daddy and mother, so she opened the window, and the little bird flew out.

"'Oh, dear, we've been so frightened!' said Mother Snowbird.

"'Yes,' said Daddy Snowbird; 'we've been on ever so many trips looking for you, but now we'll hurry down home and fly fast, so as not to get cold, and then we'll be there in time for Christmas day. All the little birds will be there waiting for the Christmas party.'

"You may be quite sure the little snowbird never had a happier Christmas, and he realized that the older birds knew what was best for him."

A SPARROW CALLS ON A HIPPOPOTAMUS

"The hippopotamus who lived in the zoo had a very strange caller the other day," said daddy.

"Into the animal house flew a sparrow. The keeper called out to him:

"'Where are you going, sparrow?' But the sparrow did not answer. He flew right through the animal house until he reached Mr. Hippopotamus' cage. Mr. Hippopotamus was having his bath, and he would not be interrupted.

"The sparrow was rather annoyed that Mr. Hippopotamus didn't want to come right out of the water to talk to him, and he scolded from his perch on the wire of the cage. There he sat scolding away, and the hippopotamus kept on splashing and spluttering as he took his bath.

"Soon the hippopotamus came up from the water and sat in the corner of his cage, and the sparrow hopped over to a wire a little nearer.

"'Mr. Sparrow, I am sorry to be late for your call,' said the hippopotamus, 'but the truth is I wanted to look my best.' And his great, long, funny old face grinned, and he showed his big teeth.

"'That's all right,' cheerfully chirped the sparrow. 'I have plenty of time to-day. My family have gone a-shopping for bread crumbs which they find every day in a certain back-yard. And I have nothing to do. I've come to tell you the news of the world outside.'

"So the sparrow told Mr. Hippopotamus all about the wild scampers the sparrows had been having. He told about their quarrels and how they had made up again. And he bragged about their friends and relations, the song sparrows, who had been very friendly this year.

"When Mr. Sparrow began to be boastful, the old hippopotamus said:

"'You think I'm finer than my cousins in that cage over there?' And Mr. Hippopotamus pointed to some other members of his family. They were very much smaller and their coats looked just like chocolate. 'And,' he went on, 'when the children see those silly cousins of mine they always say, "Why, they look just like tins of chocolate taffy left to cool." They never can say anything quite so stupid about me.'

"'Well,' said Mr. Sparrow, 'I must be off now, as it's time the bread crumbs and the family were coming home.' He spoke about the bread crumbs first, you notice. 'But I'll come and see you soon again, old hippo,' and the little sparrow flew off."

THE ROBINS COME TO THE RESCUE

The honeysuckles were beginning to bud. Already the humming-birds were hovering near and had built a nest right in the heart of the vine. This vine was in a nice old-fashioned garden, but near by there was a vacant lot which was very swampy.

"You know the garden by the vacant lot?" began daddy.

"Yes," replied both children, "are you going to tell us a story about that garden?"

"I am going to tell you," said daddy, "about the mother humming-bird whose little ones were attacked by a cruel snake when they were rescued by the brave robins.

"The snake had come over from the vacant field and had crawled up the honeysuckle vine as the mother humming-bird had gone off for some food. Some robins hovering near had seen the awful snake. They had cried out in terror and had flown over to the nest.

"The mother humming-bird heard the cries and hurried back, but the robins had frightened off the snake. The snake was not a very large one, and really he had been frightened by all the noise the robins had made, and when he saw so many birds flying toward him he got away very quickly.

"The mother humming-bird got back just as the snake was leaving the nest.

"She couldn't thank the robins enough for flying to the rescue and saving her beloved little ones, but the robins didn't want any thanks. They were thankful, too, that the dear little birds had been saved, for birds are very loyal to one another and will risk any danger to save each other."

"I am so glad," said Evelyn, "that the little humming-birds were saved, for I love to see them having such a good time in the honeysuckle vines, and the more there are of them the nicer it makes the summer seem."

"It was brave of the robins to come to the rescue, though, wasn't it, daddy?"

"Indeed it was," said daddy; "but almost all animals and birds will do anything they can to help one another, and they seem to forget that there is such a thing as being afraid if they see any creature in danger or distress.

"After the mother humming-bird had recovered from the awful fright, and after the little ones had shown that they were perfectly well and strong, with no ill effects from their fright, the mother humming-bird invited the robins to partake of the delicious meal she had succeeded in getting before the cries came from the robins."

MR. AND MRS. OWL'S STOREROOM

"Two owls," commenced daddy, "lived in a soft feathered nest in the big woods. After a time they got a little tired of talking and scolding and hunting and midnight parties, so Mrs. Owl, who was always saving odds and ends, thought it would make them very rich and happy if they had a store.

"'What,' said Mr. Owl, 'a store?'

"'Yes,' replied Mrs. Owl, as she smoothed her feathers and polished her back with a bit of bark. 'It will be not only a store, but a supper-room.'

"'Whatever do you mean?' said Mr. Owl.

"'You know,' continued Mrs. Owl, 'that in the world where people live they have parties. There is nothing new about that. Don't we have parties? Yes.'

"Mrs. Owl always answered all her own questions when she had something most important to say, and when she did not want to have anyone interrupt her or disagree with her.

"'And so, if we have parties in the woods, think what a great help it will be to all the wood animals and the fairies and brownies and gnomes if we have a supper-room attached to our store--where after the parties the wood creatures can come and have supper.'

"Mr. Owl sat up very straight and said, 'To-wit, to-who,' or it sounded very much like that. What he meant was that he thought it an excellent scheme. And he went on to tell Mrs. Owl that she could fix up all the dishes for the supper and decorate the tables--and he would go forth and hunt for the good things to eat.

"The store was started right away. The animals came to buy their things in the daytime--and as Mr. and Mrs. Owl were asleep they would simply take them away and not pay for them at the time.

"That didn't bother Mr. and Mrs. Owl at all, though. They wanted to have such a fine store that all their things would be taken, and they left notes for the little animals saying:

"'Take all you like. We must sleep and think up more wonderful things to do for you. As for pay--we don't want it. We're already to be envied for our knowledge. We don't even have to go to school--and are always cleverer than those who do go!'

"The animals were much amused at the conceit of Mr. and Mrs. Owl, but they had to admit that their store was a great success. And as for their supper-room--it was perfect!

"Every evening it was very gay, with the chatter of many of the wood animals and the fairies, after different parties and frolics. Mrs. Owl made the most delicious goodies, and always made the tables look very attractive with wild flowers.

"As for Mr. Owl, he put on a big white apron and a white hat and waited on all who came to the supper-room, and often he would make wise, wise speeches for the benefit of all around him."

POLLY WAS THE HEROINE OF THE FIRE

Jack and Evelyn had been to see a friend of theirs who owned a parrot. The parrot, whose name, of course, was Polly, had completely fascinated them. She could dance when a tune was whistled, she took sugar from her mistress's mouth, and she could talk. She could say: "Pretty Polly," "Polly, want a cracker?" "Polly hungry," "Polly, want a bite?"

So when daddy came home that evening, of course Jack and Evelyn told him all about the parrot, and later he told them a story about another parrot.

"In a small town," said daddy, "a little girl named Alice owned a pet parrot who was very clever. This parrot could talk a great deal and say ever so much more than just 'Polly, want a cracker?' This Polly could whistle, too, most beautifully, and could do a great, great many wonderful tricks. Of course, as you can imagine, Alice was very proud of her parrot, and Polly was devoted to Alice.

"One night when every one in the town was fast asleep a fire broke out in a deserted barn, and, as there was a high wind, it began to spread. The house nearest the fire was the one in which Alice lived, and Polly Parrot was the first to smell the smoke. She shrieked at the top of her lungs, 'Fire, fire!' and the whole household came rushing downstairs and found the library, where Polly was, full of smoke.

"They put on coats and, grabbing Polly's cage, rushed out of the house as quickly as they could, for the flames were beginning to break through on all sides. Alice's daddy rushed off to ring the fire bell, while Alice, carrying her Polly Parrot, and her mother followed along. Soon every one in the town was up and out in the street. The firemen managed to keep the fire from spreading, and they saved all the valuable things in Alice's home.

"As everyone stood around watching the firemen throwing the water on the fire Polly kept calling out: 'It's pretty hot! It's pretty hot! I tell you it's pretty hot!' That amused everyone, so that it kept up their spirits during the awful fire.

"At last, however, the firemen succeeded in putting the fire out, and one of the neighbors invited Alice and her mother and daddy to stay at her house, and, of course, Polly Parrot went along too.

"Polly was now not only considered a very clever bird, but a real heroine, for she had awakened Alice and her family and saved their lives and also the lives of many others, for with such a wind many houses would have gone had not the firemen been called out just when they were.

"Instead of being vain about it, Polly Parrot acted as though her one pride was that Alice was more devoted to her than ever."

THE WINTER HOME FOR THE WREN FAMILY

"A number of little boys living in a small town were very much interested in carpentry," said daddy. "They made boxes and chairs and tables and all sorts of things.

"They had a nice tool shop in an unused barn belonging to the daddy of one of the little boys.

"In the late autumn one of the little boys, who was very fond of birds and especially so of the house wren, suggested that they should build some little bird houses under the low roof of the barn.

"So all the little boys helped because they thought it was such a nice plan."

"What is a house wren?" inquired Evelyn.

"A house wren," said daddy, "shows his difference from other wrens by having black and gray lines on his brown back. His tiny tail points upward and his breast is grayish white. He is very friendly and loves to keep the same home.

"Now, the boys had noticed that one family of wrens had built a nest on the side of this same barn two summers. They had flown away when the cold weather came each time.

"The boys built a fine little house with great care and watched to see if the wrens would go to it. And, sure enough, they did! Apparently they thought it was a beautiful house, although they, of course, wished to furnish it in their own way."

"How did they furnish it?" asked Jack.

"They filled it with twigs, and in the center of the house they put masses of dried grass and twigs.

"The boys were interested watching the wrens, and the wrens seemed perfectly happy. There were no sparrows near by. They saw that the boys were friendly, and they found the wooden house kept out the cold air.

"Week after week passed, and still the wrens didn't show any desire to move to a warmer place. On the very coldest day they would come out, flit about, hop and bow, and be as energetic as possible.

"Of course the boys never touched the house after they'd built it, for the wrens then would have left, and the wrens made their front door so small that a sparrow couldn't possibly have gone inside and bothered the little ones.

"You can imagine how delighted the boys were; and to keep the wrens from feeling homesick for a warmer home, each day they'd scatter crumbs around near the wrens' home, then watch the wrens hop down and take them up to the nest, and the wrens seemed to be very happy when they saw the boys. They acted as if they knew and appreciated that the boys had built them such a fine home."

THE VAIN GOLDFINCH LEARNS A LESSON

"Mr. Goldfinch," said daddy, "was very conceited and proud of himself. To be sure, a goldfinch's voice is very much like a canary's--but it's not quite so lovely--and he can't do the wonderful trills a canary can without his voice cracking. Of course, that isn't beautiful.

"So the fairy queen made plans. First of all, she asked the birds to give her a concert, and gladly they all said they would.

"And the next day, on a row along the fence of an old country road, near the woods, perched all the bullfinch family, the oriole family, the bluejay family, the indigo bird family, and the goldfinch family.

"First of all they all sang in a beautiful chorus, and the fairy queen and all the fairies were delighted.

"Before long the elves happened along by the old fence, and they said:

"'What's up? A concert? May we stay?'

"'By all means,' said the fairy queen, and then she whispered to the elves her secret. The elves sat along the opposite fence and perched on the fence between some of the birds, too.

"When the birds had finished singing in the chorus and were not supposed to sing by themselves, they flew to the wings of the fairies and perched there.