Blacky the Crow

Blacky the Crow

The Project Gutenberg EBook of Blacky the Crow, by Thornton W.
Burgess (#8 in our series by Thornton W. Burgess)
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Title: Blacky the Crow
Author: Thornton W. Burgess
Release Date: January, 2004 [EBook #4979] [Yes, we are more than
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BLACKY THE CROW
BY THORNTON W. BURGESS

CHAPTER I
: Blacky The Crow Makes A Discovery
Blacky the Crow is always watching for things not intended for his
sharp eyes. The result is that he gets into no end of trouble which he
could avoid. In this respect he is just like his cousin, Sammy Jay.
Between them they see a great deal with which they have no business
and which it would be better for them not to see.
Now Blacky the Crow finds it no easy matter to pick up a living when
snow covers the Green Meadows and the Green Forest, and ice binds
the Big River and the Smiling Pool. he has to use his sharp eyes for all
they are worth in order to find enough to fill his stomach, and he will
eat anything in the way of food that he can swallow. Often he travels
long distances looking for food, but at night he always comes back to
the same place in the Green Forest, to sleep in company with others of
his family.
Blacky dearly loves company, particularly at night, and about the time
jolly, round, red Mr. Sun is beginning to think about his bed behind the
Purple Hills, you will find Blacky heading for a certain part of the
Green Forest where he knows he will have neighbors of his own kind.
Peter Rabbit says that it is because Blacky's conscience troubles him so
that he doesn't dare sleep alone, but Happy Jack Squirrel says that
Blacky hasn't any conscience. You can believe just which you please,
though I suspect that neither of them really knows.

As I have said, Blacky is quite a traveler at this time of year, and
sometimes his search for food takes him to out-of-the-way places. One
day toward the very last of winter, the notion entered his black head
that he would have a look in a certain lonesome corner of the Green
Forest where once upon a time Redtail the Hawk had lived. Blacky
knew well enough that Redtail wasn't there now; he had gone south in
the fell and wouldn't be back until he was sure that Mistress Spring had
arrived on the Green Meadows and in the Green Forest.
Like the black imp he is, Blacky flew over the tree-tops, his sharp eyes
watching for something interesting below. Presently he saw ahead of
him the old nest of Red-tail. He knew all about that nest. He had visited
it before when Red-tail was away. Still it might be worth another visit.
You never can tell what you may find in old houses. Now, of course,
Blacky knew perfectly well that Redtail was miles and miles, hundreds
of miles away, and so there was nothing to fear from him. But Blacky
learned ever so long ago that there is nothing like making sure that
there is no danger. So, instead of flying straight to that old nest, he first
flew over the tree so that he could look down into it.
Right away he saw something that made him gasp and blink his eyes. It
was quite large and white, and it looked -- it looked very much indeed
like an egg! Do you wonder that Blacky gasped and blinked? Here was
snow on the ground, and Rough Brother North Wind and Jack Frost
had given no hint