The Origin of Birds 



Long ago, even before the time of birds in the world, 

 say the Indians, God touched the earth wherever He wish- 

 ed a tree to appear, and there immediately a tree sprang up. 



Then as now, when summer passed, autumn came. In 

 the early fall, the leaves of the trees changed their green 

 to colors of a brighter hue. The autumn winds came. 

 The leaves in their play waved in the wind, fluttered 

 about the branches, and at last fell to the ground. 



God so loved the leaves He did not wish them to die, so 

 He changed them to bird)5, giving to them wings and 

 strength with which to fly. From the red-brown leaf of the 

 oak came the robin. Tl>6 leaves of the red maple changed 

 to cardinal birds, the yellow willow leaves became little 

 yellow birds, and the brown leaves flew away as sparrows 

 and larks. 



Because these first birds were once leaves of the forest, 

 their descendants have always loved the trees and lived 

 among them, finding food and shelter in their foUage 

 and branches. 



Adapted. 



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