A Tale of Two Martins 
as they went, found themselves with 
hundreds of other birds on the sands 
and bushes on the sea-shore, waiting for 
a favourable wind to cross over. 
The waves, which broke in heavy 
grey masses on the shore, looked very 
cold and dreadful; but they knew they 
must cross, for life and food lay on the 
other side, while behind them they knew 
was death. They had chosen a narrow 
place, too, for the crossing ; and so one 
day they all tried the passage, and, ex- 
cept a few young birds still rather feeble 
on the wing, which fell exhausted and 
were drowned, they all managed to cross 
in safety. After a rest they continued 
working to the south, finding it warmer 
and warmer every day. But sometimes 
they had to cross high mountains to 
reach the sunny plains beyond. ‘Then, 
261 
