68 A "FAIRY STORY. 



If Fairy could be seen minus her feathers she 

 would be about the size of a walnut ! I do 

 think in all respects a bird is one of the prin- 

 cipal marvels of creation, most lovely and lovable. 

 See the little creature taking a bath, reducing 

 itself to a disreputable tuft of draggled feathers for 

 the sake of cleanliness, and then fluttering and 

 shaking itself dry again, and by means of its 

 wonderful beak pluming its feathers into order, 

 applying oil to them from its little gland just 

 above the tail, and after infinite pains ending by 

 looking soft and sleek as a piece of satin. 



Instinct teaches it to do all this which we 

 could no more imitate than we could fly. Then 

 how touching is the motherhood of a bird. 

 Many a human mother is put to shame by the 

 example of a little feathered thing which has only 

 instinct to guide her in preparing her soft, warm 

 nursery, to which love ties her closely for two 

 or three weeks. Bright days come and go, 

 but she denies herself all the pleasures she 

 sees other birds enjoying, and barely takes time 

 to get her needful food, that she may keep warm 

 those two little snowy eggs which are all the 



