the poor bird that she dropped her fish, and they carried it off in triumph. 4. The men soon went away; but Joseph sat down under a bush near by to watch the movements of the bird, which, after making several large circuits around the tree, again returned to her nest. The eaglets at once set up a cry for food, so shrill, so clear, and so clamorous, that the boy was greatly moved. d 5. The parent bird seemed to try to soothe them; but their appetites were too keen, and it was all in vain. She then perched herself on a limb near them, and looked down into the nest with a look that seemed to say, "I know not what to do next." 6. Her indecision was but momentary; again she poised herself, uttered one or two sharp nótes, as if telling them to "lie still," balanced her body, spread her wings, and was away again for the sea! 7. Joseph was determined to see the result. His eye followed her till she grew small, smaller-a mere speck in the sky--and then disappeared. What boy has not thus watched the flight of the bird of his country in this way? 8. She was gone nearly two hours, about double her usual time for a voyage, when she again returned, on a slow, weary wing, flying uncommonly low, in order to have a heavier atmosphere to sustain her, with another fish in her talons.f 9. On nearing the field, she made a circuit around it, to see if her enemies were again there. Finding the coast clear, she once more reached her tree, drooping, faint, and weary, and evidently nearly exhausted. Again the eaglets set up their cry, which was soon hushed by the distributions of a dinner such as-save the cooking-a king might covet.h i 10. "GLORIOUS BIRD!" cried the boy in ecstasy, and aloud; "what a spirit! Other birds can fly swifter; others can sing more sweetly; others can scream louder; but what other bird, when persecuted and robbed-when wea ry-when discouraged-when so far from the sea-would do as thou hast done! 11. "GLORIOUS BIRD! I will learn a lesson from thee to-day. I will never forget, that when the spirit is determined, it can do almost any thing. Others would have drooped, and hung the head, and mourned over the cruelty of man, and sighed over the wants of the nestlings; but thou, by at once recovering the loss, hast forgotten all. 12. "I will learn of thee, noble bird! I will remember this. I will set my mark high. I will try to do something, and to be something in the world; I will never yield to discouragements." REV. JOHN TODD. a AP-PÂR'-ENT - LY, evidently; in appear- • POISED', balanced. ance. b UN-MO-LEST-ED, undisturbed. TAL-ONS, claws. C CIRCUIT (sur - kit), the act of flyingh Cov ́ET, eagerly desire. around in a circle. dЄLAM'-OR-OUS, noisy; loud. i Ee'-STA-SY, excessive joy. [Tell the story of the fishing eagle. Point out the descriptive, and the narrative portions of the story. What lesson did the boy learn from the actions of the eagle?] LESSON IX. FABLE OF THE BIRDS AND THEIR NESTS. 1. It is reported that when the Pigeon first made her appearance upon the earth, the other birds all gathered about her, and offered to teach her how to build a nest. 2. "If you want to live in the woods'," said the Woodpecker', "I will show you an old tree, with a splendid deep hole in it, which I do not want myself. There is also plenty of rotten wood for bedding. 3. "Those old trees are such close places-enough to smother one!" said the Oriole. "I will teach you to hang your nest on the end of an elm branch; weaving together moss, and hair, and twine, till neither wind nor weather can get through. There you can sit, and look at the world, and swing your cradle-or the wind will rock it for you." 4. "But', after all, there's no place for one's nest like a good sand-bank," said the Sand Marten. "People say it is dangerous in heavy rains; but I never was washed away yet." 5. "It is dangerous, however," said his cousin, the Chimney Swallow. "I will show you how to go down the tall chimneys, and build there, where the air is always warm. And my nest is made of sticks, which are easy to get; and of glue, which I make myself." 6. "You never get washed away', I suppose'," said the Barn Swallow," with your sticks and your glue! Depend upon it, Mrs. Pigeon, there's nothing like mud for building." 7. "Yes, I like mud, and always use it myself," said the little Phoebe; "but, I think, under the cow-shed is more airy and pleasant than under the eaves of that dark barn.” 8. "After all," remarked the Robin, "for all family purposes, give me a good, well-woven nest in the crotch of an apple-tree-the walls of horse-hair, and moss, and twigs, well lined with feathers." 9. แ It's pleasant, too, very pleasant, in my rose-bush," said the Sparrow, "where the rose-leaves drop down on my speckled eggs." 10. Now the Pigeon, although a very pretty little thing -very polite, too, for she had not ceased bobbing her head to the other birds all the time they were talking— was yet, I am sorry to say, a little conceited. She walked about on her little red feet, turning her head from side to side, and showing the purple and green tints on her neck, and at last she said: 11. "I am really very much obliged to you all, but I know how." "What'!"* cried out all the other birds, "have you been taught'?" "No," said the Pigeon, bobbing her head as before, “but I know how." 12. The birds were quite silent for a minute (only the * This exclamation, designed as a question, has the rising inflection. (See Rule X.) Robin whistled), but then they again offered their services. "Thank you," said the Pigeon; "you are very kind, but I know how." And the birds flew away and left her. 13. Then the Pigeon began by herself. She tried to make a mud nest; but, because she did not know enough to mix straws with mud, her nest fell to pieces. She tried weaving; but she got her claws and beak entangled in the moss, and very near hung herself with a long horse-hair. Then she flew off to the sand-bank, where was a whole settlement of Martens; but when she tried to dig a hole in the sand, she came near being buried alive. 14. The Pigeon felt quite discouraged; but she was too proud to ask help of the other birds, and they had no mind to be refused again by a little lady who knew every thing. So the Pigeon went off and sat by the barn, moping, and idle, till at last some man took pity on her, and built her a little house of wood. 15. But there was no neat nest inside-nothing but some loose straw, and there Pigeon laid her white eggs; and to this day she lives in just such a little, dark, close place, or in the woods has a careless little heap of twigs for a nest; and all because she was too proud, or too haughty, or too conceiteda to learn of others; while the Blackbird sways about merrily on the water reeds, and the Oriole swings on his elm branch, and the Sparrow "sits at his door in the sun, Atilt, like a blossom among the leaves." a CON-CEIT'-ED, vain of her own knowledge. DIS-COUR'-AGED, dejected; disheartened. c MōP'-ING, sad; gloomy. [What is a fable? (See p. ix.) This fable has three objects: 1st, to direct attention to the different kinds of birds' nests; 2d, to show how natural it is for each one to think his way is the best; and, 3d, to show the folly of those who are too proud, haughty, or conceited to learn from others. The kind of writing here employed is a union of the descriptive and dialogue forms, which presents greater variety, for reading purposes, than the simple dialogue. What is reported of the Pigeon? What did the Woodpecker say? The Oriole? The Sand Marten? Chimney Swallow? Barn Swallow? Phoebe-bird? Robin? Sparrow? What do you learn about the Pigeon in the 10th verse? What is said of her efforts to build a nest? Of the result? What kind of a nest has the Pigeon?] 1. "THERE'S a merry brown thrush sitting up in a treeHe's singing to me! he's singing to me!" And what does he say', little girl', little boy'? "Oh, the world's running over with joy'! Don't you hear'? Don't you see'? 2. Hush! Look'! In my tree, I'm as happy as happy can be!"" And the brown thrush keeps singing-"Anest do you see, Now I'm glad! Now I'm free! And I always shall be', If you never bring sorrow to me'." 3. So the merry brown thrush sings away in the tree', And he sings all the day', little girl', little boy', But long it won't be', Don't you know'? don't you see'? LUCY LARCOM. |