238 



CITIZEN BIBD 



" The wind whispered to the trees, 'Trouble, trouble ! 

 These warriors hate each other more than they love 

 their children. Hide them, O trees ! ' Then the trees 

 whispered to the birds, ' Help the poor children — 

 help, help I ' And the birds said, ' Tliey shall be turned 



into birds and 



escape, if you 



will make a 



little fire, O 



'ind, to delay the 



warriors and give us 



time. 



o the trees told the fire- 



o light the dead leaves 



covered the ground ; 



the wind breathed on the 



fire, and soon the Avood 



was all aflame ! 



" ' AVhat birds do 

 you choose to be, 

 that you may al- 

 ways live in 

 the forest to- 

 gether?' asked 

 tlie JUrd Broth- 

 ers of the chil- 

 dren. 'Answer ([uickly, for the time is short.' 



" ' I will be a large brown Sparrow,' said the girl ; 

 then none Avill trap me for my feathers.' 

 '' ' And I too,' said the boy. 



" Suddenly tliey were no longer children. But there 

 was confusion, as the fire burned nearer and nearer. 





Cardinal. 



