96 THE FRIENDSHIP OF NATURE 



dead autumn or unawakened spring? 

 There stole into the sky a rift of blue, 

 and on the ground lay the azure 

 feather of a bluebird's wing, his spring 

 sign this, for his autumn coat is rusty. 

 The dun sky swallowed up the blue 

 again, and near the bluebird's feather 

 lay a hawk's barred quill. Comedy 

 and tragedy side by side. Which over- 

 came? the hawk by force, or the blue- 

 bird by escape, — who knows? But in 

 a neighbouring farm-yard above a hen- 

 coop swung a dead hawk, compelled 

 by the wind to flap his wings in 

 warning. 



In early April two robins came to 

 the leafless vine on the western piazza 

 and began a nest. In the morning 

 snow fell, and in the evening lightning 

 blazed. The birds were discouraged, 

 but after a few days returned and com- 

 pleted their dwelling, and another pair 



