12 THE FIRST BOOK OF BIRDS 
use one hand to keep them away from his eyes. 
But still he went on taking out the eggs. 
At last the little mother was so wild with 
grief that she dashed into the hole and sat there 
in the doorway, right before his fate. He could 
not get another egg without hurting her, and he 
was ashamed to do that. 
This was as brave in the tiny creature as it 
would be for a human mother to throw herself 
before a fierce, hungry tiger. Do you think 
she did not care for her eggs ? 
