The Lame Stork 
muster at the autumnal inspection, as 
Andersen describes, one of them fell 
down through inexperience or awkward- 
ness. Bump! Anyhow, its leg was 
broken. What was to be done? The 
parents flew round and round in great 
distress, but that didn’t help matters, 
and there is no doubt the young bird 
would have died from the accident if 
it had been left alone. Luckily the 
farmer saw what had happened, and 
picked up the unfortunate youngster, 
and did his best to mend up the broken 
parts. But the damage was too serious 
for splints to be fixed until the broken 
leg-bone grew together again. Amputa- 
tion had to be carefully performed, 
and to the part that was left a wooden 
leg was lashed. A_ broomstick hap- 
pened to be at hand, and provided a 
228 
