Stories of Birds | Page 4

looked back. The chickadee now sat in the tree-top.
"Tell Mrs. Chickadee," called Phyllis, "that I shall spread some more
crumbs and seeds on the white table-cloth this afternoon. We'll hang

another bone in the cedar-tree, too!"
"Chick-a-dee-dee-dee!" cried the little bird in a flutter of delight.

TWENTY LITTLE CHICKADEES
Twenty little chickadees, Sitting in a row; Twenty pairs of naked feet
Buried in the snow. I should think you'd fly away Where the weather's
warm, Then you wouldn't have to be Out there in the storm.
Sorry little chickadees, Don't you know the way? Can't you find the
road to go Where 'tis always May? Robins all have found it out, Wrens
and bluebirds too, Don't you wish you'd thought to ask Ere away they
flew?

THE SNOWBIRD'S SONG[1]
The ground was all covered with snow, one day, And two little sisters
were busy at play-- A snowbird was sitting close by on a tree, And
merrily singing his chick-a-de-dee!
He had not been singing that tune very long, When Emily heard him, so
loud was his song. "Oh, sister, look out of the window!" said she,
"Here's a dear little bird, singing chick-a-de-dee!
"Poor fellow! he walks in the snow and the sleet And has neither
stockings nor shoes on his feet, I wonder what makes him so full of his
glee, And why he keeps singing, his chick-a-de-dee.
"If I were a barefooted snowbird, I know, I would not stay out in the
cold and the snow. I pity him so! Oh, how cold he must be, And yet he
keeps singing his chick-a-de-dee.
"Oh, mother, do get him some stockings and shoes, And a nice little
frock, and a hat, let him choose. I wish he'd come into the parlour, and
see How warm we would make him, poor chick-a-de-dee!"

The bird had flown down for some sweet crumbs of bread, And heard
every word little Emily said. "How funny I'd look in that costume!"
thought he, And he laughed, as he warbled his chick-a-de-dee.
"I am grateful," said he, "for the wish you express, But I have no
occasion for such a fine dress. I'd rather remain with my little limbs
free, Than to hobble about singing chick-a-de-dee.
"There is One, my dear child, though I cannot tell who, Has clothed me
already, and warm enough, too. Good morning! Oh, who are so happy
as we?" And away he flew, singing his chick-a-de-dee.

[1] From "The Second Reader--of the Rational Method In Reading."

HOW THE BIRDS GOT THEIR FEATHERS
(IROQUOIS MYTH)
That evening, as the family sat beside the hearth, Phyllis thought of the
brave little chickadees out in the fir-trees.
"I wonder if they are really warm enough," she said. "Do feathers make
a warm dress, mother? Why do birds have feathers instead of fur?"
"I have heard the story that the Indians tell of how the birds got their
feathers," said mother. "Bring your chairs closer and I will tell the story
to you."
So the children drew their chairs up into the firelight, and listened to
this little Indian story:
"Once some little Indian children," began the mother, "gathered about
the fire inside their deerskin wigwam and begged their mother for a
story.
"Each little Indian was wrapped in a bright coloured blanket. Each little

Indian wore long turkey buzzard feathers in his hair.
"The Indian mother looked at her baby braves proudly. She thought of
the time when each of the children was a tiny papoose and swung in a
deerskin cradle like a bird in its nest.
"'There was a time,' said the Indian squaw, 'when the birds had no
feathers.
"'Being naked, they remained hidden among the leaves. Being ashamed
they were silent, and no bird-note sweetened the stillness of the forest.
"'At last with faint chirpings the mother birds prayed the Great Spirit
for blankets in which to wrap their little ones.
"'Then the Great Spirit, seeing their sorry plight, sent a messenger to
the birds, who told them that even now coverings were ready for every
bird.
"'The messenger said that hereafter each family of birds should dress in
uniform, so that the forest people, seeing a bird, might know at once,
by its dress, to what bird family it belonged.
"'But alas! the messenger also said that the uniforms were a great way
off. He himself could not bring them to the forest. The birds must
choose one who was strong of wing and able to endure great hardships,
to go back with him and bring the uniforms home.
"'The poor featherless birds looked about for one who was brave and
fearless and untiring. A council was held to induce some bird to go on
this long journey.
"'But one and all pleaded some excuse.