The Burgess Bird Book for Children | Page 5

up in the blue, blue sky. It was nothing
unusual for Peter to see jolly Mr. Sun get up in the morning. It would
be more unusual for Peter not to see him, for you know Peter is a great
hand to stay out all night and not go back to the dear Old Briar-patch,
where his home is, until the hour when most folks are just getting out
of bed.

Peter had been out all night this time, but he wasn't sleepy, not the least
teeny, weeny bit. You see, sweet Mistress Spring had arrived, and there
was so much happening on every side, and Peter was so afraid he
would miss something, that he wouldn't have slept at all if he could
have helped it. Peter had come over to the Old Orchard so early this
morning to see if there had been any new arrivals the day before.
"Birds are funny creatures," said Peter, as he hopped over a low place
in the old stone wall and was fairly in the Old Orchard.
"Tut, tut, tut, tut, tut!" cried a rather sharp scolding voice. "Tut, tut, tut,
tut, tut! You don't know what you are talking about, Peter Rabbit. They
are not funny creatures at all. They are the most sensible folks in all the
wide world."
Peter cut a long hop short right in the middle, to sit up with shining
eyes. "Oh, Jenny Wren, I'm so glad to see you! When did you arrive?"
he cried.
"Mr. Wren and I have just arrived, and thank goodness we are here at
last," replied Jenny Wren, fussing about, as only she can, in a branch
above Peter. "I never was more thankful in my life to see a place than I
am right this minute to see the Old Orchard once more. It seems ages
and ages since we left it."
"Well, if you are so fond of it what did you leave it for?" demanded
Peter. "It is just as I said before--you birds are funny creatures. You
never stay put; at least a lot of you don't. Sammy Jay and Tommy Tit
the Chickadee and Drummer the Woodpecker and a few others have a
little sense; they don't go off on long, foolish journeys. But the rest of
you--"
"Tut, tut, tut, tut, tut!" interrupted Jenny Wren. "You don't know what
you are talking about, and no one sounds so silly as one who tries to
talk about something he knows nothing about."
Peter chuckled. "That tongue of yours is just as sharp as ever," said he.
"But just the same it is good to hear it. We certainly would miss it. I

was beginning to be a little worried for fear something might have
happened to you so that you wouldn't be back here this summer. You
know me well enough, Jenny Wren, to know that you can't hurt me
with your tongue, sharp as it is, so you may as well save your breath to
tell me a few things I want to know. Now if you are as fond of the Old
Orchard as you pretend to be, why did you ever leave it?"
Jenny Wren's bright eyes snapped. "Why do you eat?" she asked tartly.
"Because I'm hungry," replied Peter promptly.
"What would you eat if there were nothing to eat?" snapped Jenny.
"That's a silly question," retorted Peter.
"No more silly than asking me why I leave the Old Orchard," replied
Jenny. "Do give us birds credit for a little common sense, Peter. We
can't live without eating any more than you can, and in winter there is
no food at all here for most of us, so we go where there is food. Those
who are lucky enough to eat the kinds of food that can be found here in
winter stay here. They are lucky. That's what they are--lucky. Still--"
Jenny Wren paused.
"Still what?" prompted Peter.
"I wonder sometimes if you folks who are at home all the time know
just what a blessed place home is," replied Jenny. "It is only six months
since we went south, but I said it seems ages, and it does. The best part
of going away is coming home. I don't care if that does sound rather
mixed; it is true just the same. It isn't home down there in the sunny
South, even if we do spend as much time there as we do here. THIS is
home, and there's no place like it! What's that, Mr. Wren? I haven't
seen all the Great World? Perhaps I haven't, but I've seen enough of it,
let me tell you that! Anyone who travels a thousand miles twice a year
as we do has a right to express an opinion, especially if they