OUR FRIENDS THE BIRDS Birds are our best friends. They cheer us with their singing. They bring to us the first news of the coming of spring. They destroy the insects that eat our vegetables and kill our trees. We will always protect them, and see that they have proper nesting places to rear their young. A THE ORIGIN OF BIRDS MONG the many strange stories which the Indians relate to their children is one which tells how the birds came on earth. They say that long, long ago, when the world was s new, the Great Spirit walked about making it beautiful. Wherever his feet touched the ground, beautiful trees and flowers sprang into being. All through the first summer the trees bore leaves of many different shades of green. When autumn To came, and the winds grew colder, and the frosts came, 15 20 the green in the leaves changed to bright red, and yellow, and soft brown, just as it does to this day. When the breezes played among them, they sang soft little songs to each other, as they fluttered down to the ground: The Great Spirit did not wish them to lie there and die; he wished them to live and be beautiful always, so he changed each one into a bird, and breathed into it the breath of life. The red-brown leaves of the oak were changed into Robins, the yellow leaves of the willow into GoldFOURTH 18 273 S. H. READINGS finches and Yellowbirds, and the bright-red leaves of the maples into Cardinals and Tanagers. All the dull-brown leaves were changed into Sparrows, and Wrens, and other dull-brown birds. For this reason the birds have always loved to make, their homes among the branches of the mother trees, which furnish them both food and shelter. Make a list of the birds you know. Which do you like best? Why? What birds have you seen to-day? THE SECRET BY JEAN INGELOW E have a secret, just we three, WE The robin, and I, and the sweet cherry tree; The bird told the tree, and the tree told me, And nobody knows it but just we three. But of course the robin knows it best, Because he built the - I shan't tell the rest; But if the tree and the robin don't peep, I'll try my best the secret to keep; Though I know when the little birds fly about, ON THE FIRST ROBIN BY HENRY SCHOOLCRAFT NCE in the long-ago time an Indian warrior wished the Great Spirit to protect his young son. In order to gain this protection the youth had to fast for twelve long days and nights. If he could s endure this long fast, he would ever after be called a brave among his tribe and be honored by them. If he failed, his people would look down upon him and refuse to allow him to go forth with them to war. When his time of trial came, the son did not wish to 10 follow his father to the lodge in the deep forest which was to be the scene of his fasting. Though he was brave, he was gentle, and did not wish to be as other warriors who went forth to kill. He longed only to make people happy. 15 But the father told him to go and he dared not refuse. During the long walk he was sad at heart, though the father tried to cheer him by telling him how the people would honor him when he appeared at the great feast, which would be served when he had proved himself strong to endure. 20 |