TWO 'ears. 215 



Feeling the need of change, we walked up and down the 

 platform until espying swallows, we watched to learn their 

 destination, which proved to be just above the projection 

 of several cottage windows ; a good half dozen mud domi- 

 ciles of the barn swallows were occupied by nearly grown 

 birds, who were as much interested in the noonday 

 insect feast, as humans in theirs 



At Tadousac, next day, we took another half hour's 

 walk. There we found Mrs. Red-eyed Vireo swaying and 

 rocking in her hemispherical pocket with as much ease, as 

 those who nest in June in old New England. As we 

 steamed away into the great waters, where the mighty Sag- 

 uenay and St. I^awrence mingle, I looked back at the 

 bit of woods, and said good-night to the occupant of that 

 cosy nest. 



Two Ears. 



Once upon a time there was a queer little dwarf named Zekko, 

 who lived in a queer little house behind the waterfall. Everything 

 about Zekko was queer, from the top of his little round head to the 

 bottom of his little fiat feet ; but the queerest thing about him was 

 that he had only one ear. One was all that he had ever had, so he 

 did not know what he missed, and thought himself as happy as 

 could be. 



Zekko had a dog, and the dog, too, had only one ear, which he 

 would perk up in a funny wa}'^ whenever he heard his master call 

 him ; but half the time he did not hear, and that was very bother- 

 some for them both. Zekko had a pet cat, too, who was very fond 

 of him. Poor pussy ! she was lean and sickly, because, since she 

 had only one ear, she missed half the mice that she might have 

 caught. Zekko said: "The cat is lazy," and he bought only 

 enough food for himself, the dog and the donkey. The donkey 

 was not so great a comfort as he might have been, because, having 

 only one ear like the rest of the family, he often made mistakes, 

 such as going fast when he was told to go slow, and stopping when 

 he was told to go on. 



One lovely day in spring, Zekko decided to ride down the valley 



