THE NEST IN THE OLD OAK 109 



no answer came back to him. Once he 

 went out to her, and then I think he 

 knew. Back to his perch on the tree 

 he went, and the last time I saw him 

 alive he was still there. 



Not many days later I passed by 

 there again. The Crow was not on his 

 branch, he was nowhere to be seen, but 

 when I reached the tree I saw a black 

 object on the ground. There he lay, 

 dead. I picked up his body, and 

 curiosity caused me to examine him. I 

 knew he had not been shot, and on a 

 further examination I found that he had 

 had no food for many days past. His 

 death was caused through starvation. 

 He had mourned his mate, and fell 

 dead within sight of her. 



The Crow may be a cruel bird, but he 

 knows how to love. 



