THE NIGHTINGALE. 



You have heard so much 

 about the Nightingale that I am 

 sure you will be glad to see my 

 picture. I am not an American 

 bird ; I live in England, and am 

 considered the greatest of all 

 bird vocalists. 



At midnight, when the woods 

 are still and everybody ought to 

 be asleep, I sing my best. Some 

 people keep awake on purpose 

 to hear me. One gentleman, a 

 poet, wept because my voice 

 sounded so melancholy. He 

 thought I leaned my breast up 

 against a thorn and poured forth 

 my melody in anguish. Another 

 wondered what music must be 

 provided for the angels in 

 heaven, when such music as mine 

 was given to men on earth. 



All that sounds very pretty, 

 but between you and me, I'd 

 sing another tune if a thorn 

 should pierce my breast. 



Indeed, I am such a little bird 

 that a big thorn would be the 

 death of me. No, indeed, I am 

 always very happy when I sing. 

 My mate wouldn't notice me at 

 all if I didn't pour out my feel- 



ings in song, both day and night. 

 That is the only way I have to 

 tell her that I love her, and to 

 ask her if she loves me. When 

 she says u yes," then we go to 

 housekeeping, build a nest and 

 bring up a family of little Night- 

 ingales. As soon as the bird- 

 ies come out of their shell I lit- 

 erally change my tune. 



In place of the lovely music 

 which everybody admires, I utter 

 only a croak, expressive of my 

 alarm and anxiety. Nobody 

 knows the trouble of bringing 

 up a family better than I do. 

 Sometimes my nest, which is 

 placed on or near the ground, is 

 destroyed with all the little 

 Nightingales in it ; then I re- 

 cover my voice and go to sing- 

 ing again, the same old song: 

 '*" I love you, I love you. Do you 

 love me ? " 



Toward the end of summer we 

 leave England and return to our 

 winter home,way off in the inter- 

 ior of Africa. About the middle 

 of April we get back to England 

 again, the gentlemen Nightin- 

 gales arriving several days be- 

 fore the lady-birds. - 



136 



