360 Bird - Lore 



And Peace, that peace the world denies, 



Which at the heart of Nature lies. 



Then wake, O, man ! Awake and hear 



The message of the birds we bring you here. 



Love, protect us, and we'll repay 



In a thousand ways from day to day. 



Together our voices will rise in praise 



To Him who guideth all our ways. 



For there is no great, there is no small, 



To Him who made and loveth all. 



(Turns to Eagle.) 

 This, then, O King, is the compact true, 

 'Twixt bird and man. We wait on you. 



(Bows before throne.) 



Eagle. — ^Your words are fair, O Dove, but I comprehend them not. I see only the 

 wrath and the whirlwind, the war and bloodshed, the strife and the struggle of unhappy 

 man. No ! No ! I trust him not. Never will I be his friend, but hie me back to my 

 distant eyrie, among rocky peaks, there to dwell, solitary and alone, lord of the 

 air, monarch of the sky, the symbol of liberty and freedom forever. As for you, O birds, 

 I warn you. Remember the fate of the Tern, the Egret, and the Osprey. May it not be 

 yours! But you have chosen. You are now man's friend, and I am no longer yours. 

 (Descends from throne. Makes fervent gesture.) Farewell! Farewell! (Exit.) 



Birds (Sing to the air of Lohengrin's 'Swan Song'. — Wagner.) — 

 Farewell, farewell, O king most dear. 

 Our hearts are still quite true. 

 They beat with love for all mankind 

 And still with love for you. 

 Farewell ! Farewell ! Farewell ! Farewell ! 



Bobbie. — Say, he's awfully down on us humans, isn't he? But I don't blame him, 

 the way we have acted. But we won't any more. No, siree ! Now I understand. Those 

 Audubon folks are all right, and I'm going to join a Bird Club quick as I can. And that 

 Jimmie Bean — if I catch him killing another bird, I am going to just — just — (makes a 

 fierce gesture) latum him! (Stops and thinks a moment, lifts hand to head.) No, I 

 won't, either. I'll just get him to join a Bird Club, and then he won't want to. And I'll 

 get all the boys I can to join. I tell you, folks, I'm for the birds now and forever (swings 

 cap above his head, puts it on again). And now, birds, I must be off. Can't you all 

 sing a song before I go? 



Polly. — Yes, yes! Let's all sing! (Squawks, makes harsh, absurd sounds. Birds 

 all laugh.) 



Blue Jay. — O, shut up, Polly ! You can't sing any more than I can. Why even the 

 little Hummingbird could do better than that. 



Bobbie. — O, can the Hummingbird sing? (Turns to littlest bird.) Say, little 

 Hummingbird, won't you sing a song for me? (Takes her by the hand and leads her 

 forward.) 



Hummingbird {Sings to air of 'Little Birdie in the Tree.' — From The Charm." P. P. 

 Bliss.)— 



I'm just a little Hummingbird, Hummingbird, Hummingbird, 

 I'm just a little Hummingbird, but I can sing a song for you, 

 All about the roses, wet with morning dew, 

 And the sky above us, so lovely and so blue. 



