i88 SWALLOW BROW 



" We are not afraid of you, my love," 

 he twittered, " we know that you would 

 not hurt us." 



" Who told you ? " she asked in wonder. 



" The blackbird who sings on the highest 

 branch of the apple tree by your window, 

 and the humble bees, and the goldfinch into 

 whose nest you peered without touching, 

 and the baby hare you stroked, and all the 

 wild folk." ' 



" But do they know then how I love 

 them, little swallow ? " 



" Why, yes," the bird answered softly, 

 " all the wild things know when a man or 

 a child loves them. Do you not remember 

 the sparrows eating from the hand of an 

 old man in London when you went there 

 one day last year ? And how they had no 

 fear of him, but when a lady approached 

 wearing what is called by some a beautiful 

 hat, they all flew away ? " 



" Yes, I remember, dear swallow." 



" Well, my love, those despised sparrows 



