32 THE HISTORY OF TIP-TOP. 



however, was a bird of spirit, and he used to peck at Tip- 

 Top ; so they would sometimes have a regular sparring- 

 match across poor Brown-Eyes, who was a meek, tender 

 little fellow, and would sit winking and blinking in fear 

 while his big brothers quarrelled. As to Toddy and Sing- 

 er, they turned out to be sister birds, and showed quite a 

 feminine talent for chattering ; they used to scold their 

 badly behaving brothers in a way that made the nest quite 

 lively. 



On the whole, Mr. and Mrs. Robin did not find their 

 family circle the peaceable place the poet represents. 



" I say," said Tip-Top one day to them, " this old nest 

 is a dull, mean, crowded hole, and it 's quite time some of 

 us were out of it ; just give us lessons in flying, won't you, 

 and let us go." 



"My dear boy," said Mother Robin, "we shall teach you 

 to fly as soon as your wings are strong enough." 



"You are a very little bird," said his father, "and ought 

 to be good and obedient, and wait patiently till your wing- 

 feathers grow ; and then you can soar away to some 

 purpose." 



"Wait for my wing-feathers? Humbug!" Tip-Top would 

 say, as he sat balancing with his little short tail on the 

 edge of the nest, and looking down through the grass and 

 clover-heads below, and up into the blue clouds above. 

 " Father and mother are slow old birds ; keep a fellow 



