The Curious Book of Birds | Page 6

a great meeting for the election. And because the especial talent of
a bird is for flying, they agreed that the bird who could fly highest up into the blue sky,
straight toward the sun, should be their king, king of all the feathered tribes of the air.
Therefore, after breakfast one beautiful morning, the birds met in the garden to choose
their king. All the birds were there, from the largest to the smallest, chirping, twittering,
singing on every bush and tree and bit of dry grass, till the noise was almost as great as
nowadays at an election of two-legged folk without feathers. They swooped down in

great clouds, till the sky was black with them, and they were dotted on the grass like
punctuation marks on a green page. There were so many that not even wise Mother
Magpie or old Master Owl could count them, and they all talked at the same time, like
ladies at an afternoon tea, which was very confusing.
Little Robin Redbreast was there, hopping about and saying pleasant things to every one,
for he was a great favorite. Gorgeous Goldfinch was there, in fine feather; and little
Blackbird, who was then as white as snow. There were the proud Peacock and the silly
Ostrich, the awkward Penguin and the Dodo, whom no man living has ever seen.
Likewise there were the Jubjub Bird and the Dinky Bird, and many other curious
varieties that one never finds described in the wise Bird Books,--which is very strange,
and sad, too, I think. Yes, all the birds were there for the choosing of their king, both the
birds who could fly, and those who could not. (But for what were they given wings, if not
to fly? How silly an Ostrich must feel!)
Now the Eagle expected to be king. He felt sure that he could fly higher than any one else.
He sat apart on a tall pine tree, looking very dignified and noble, as a future king should
look. And the birds glanced at one another, nodded their heads, and whispered, "He is
sure to be elected king. He can fly straight up toward the sun without winking, and his
great wings are so strong, so strong! He never grows tired. He is sure to be king."
Thus they whispered among themselves, and the Eagle heard them, and was pleased. But
the little brown Wren heard also, and he was not pleased. The absurd little bird! He
wanted to be king himself, although he was one of the tiniest birds there, who could never
be a protector to the others, nor stop trouble when it began. No, indeed! Fancy him
stepping as a peacemaker between a robber Hawk and a bloody Falcon. It was they who
would make pieces of him. But he was a conceited little creature, and saw no reason why
he should not make a noble sovereign.
"I am cleverer than the Eagle," he said to himself, "though he is so much bigger. I will be
king in spite of him. Ha-ha! We shall see what we shall see!" For the Wren had a great
idea in his wee little head--an idea bigger than the head itself, if you can explain how that
could be. He ruffled up his feathers to make himself as huge as possible, and hopped over
to the branch where the Eagle was sitting.
"Well, Eagle," said the Wren pompously, "I suppose you expect to be king, eh?"
The Eagle stared hard at him with his great bright eyes. "Well, if I do, what of that?" he
said. "Who will dispute me?"
"I shall," said the Wren, bobbing his little brown head and wriggling his tail saucily.
"You!" said the Eagle. "Do you expect to fly higher than I?"
"Yes," chirped the Wren, "I do. Yes, I do, do, do!"
"Ho!" said the Eagle scornfully. "I am big and strong and brave. I can fly higher than the
clouds. You, poor little thing, are no bigger than a bean. You will be out of breath before

we have gone twice this tree's height."
"Little as I am, I can mount higher than you," said the Wren.
"What will you wager, Wren?" asked the Eagle. "What will you give me if I win?"
"If you win you will be king," said the Wren. "But beside that, if you win I will give you
my fat little body to eat for your breakfast. But if I win, Sir, I shall be king, and you must
promise never, never, never, to hurt me or any of my people."
"Very well. I promise," said the Eagle haughtily. "Come now, it is time for the trial, you
poor little foolish creature."
The birds were flapping their wings and singing eagerly, "Let us