Sling ::f$i^ot STime 83 



the gray light of morning stole across the 

 fields, and the birds began to twitter in 

 their nests along the edge of the woods, 

 cockrobin aroused himself, and flew away 

 to the brook to bathe his bloody, throb- 

 bing head. He thrust it down into the 

 water many times, and the cool water 

 soothed the throbbing as long as he held 

 it under. When he had washed the 

 blood away, and made himself look re- 

 spectable, he flew home to his mate and 

 his little ones to tell them of his mishap. 

 But as he went he noticed that one half 

 of the world that had been so bright the 

 day before was black as night. He al- 

 most flew into an apple-tree before he 

 noticed it, for it was on his dark side. 



The fact was, cockrobin was blind in 

 one eye, the stone from the sling-shot 

 having closed one of his bright eyes 

 for ever. 



