SOMETHING PRETTY IN A GLASS CASE 277 



morning when the old birds were away I hid myself 

 in the fork above the hole and waited till they crept 

 out and up close to me, when I suddenly burst out 

 upon them, chattering and flourishing my tail, and 

 they were so terrified they actually lost their hold 

 on the bark and tumbled right down to the ground. 

 How I enjoyed it ! " 



" You malicious little red beast ! You chattering 

 little red devil ! They were my young ones, and I 

 remember what a fright we were in when we came 

 back and saw what had happened. It was lucky we 

 didn't lose one ! I shall never speak to you again. 

 There you may sit trying to eat your nut for another 

 seventeen years, and for a hundred years if this 

 horrible life is going to last so long, but you'll never 

 get another word from me." 



" I thought that would touch you, woodpecker ! 

 Ha, ha, ha — who's the yaffler now ? What a relief ; 

 at last I shall be left to eat my nut in peace and 

 quiet, here in this glass case where they put me." 



" Why did they put us here ? " 



" You are speaking to me ! Are the hundred 

 years over so soon ? " 



" There's no one else — what am I to do ? Answer 

 me, why did they put us here ? Answer me, little 

 red wretch ! I don't mind now what you did — they 



