160 THE REDWING. 



juniper-wood, where they came to eat the terries, and he had no 

 doubt but he could catch some. The next day the little boy 

 borrowed a basket of his mother, and when he went to the wood he 

 had the great delight to catch two Fieldfares. He put them in the 

 basket, and, tying an old handkerchief over it, he took them to the 

 schoolmaster's house. Just as he arrived at the door, he saw the 

 two little boys who had been setting the trap, and with some alarm 

 he asked them if they had caught, any birds. They answered in the 

 negative; and the boy, his heart beating with joy, gained admittance 

 into the schoolmaster's presence. In a few words, he told how he 

 had seen the boys setting the trap, and how he had caught the 

 birds to bring them as a present to the master. * A present, my 

 good boy,' cried the schoolmaster, ' you do not look as if you could 

 afford to make presents. Tell me your price, and I will pay it to 

 you, and thank you besides.' ' I would rather give them to you, 

 sir, if you please,' said the boy. The schoolmaster looked at the 

 boy as he stood before him, with bare head and feet, and ragged 

 trousers that only reached half-way down his naked legs. ' You 

 are a very singular boy,' said he, * but if you will not take money, 

 you must tell me what I can do for you, as I cannot accept your 

 present without doing something for it in return. Is there any- 

 thing I can do for you? ' ' Oh, yes,' said the boy, trembling with 

 delight, ' you can do for me what I should like better than anything 

 else.' ' What is that ? ' asked the schoolmaster, smiling. ' Teach 

 me to read,' cried the boy, falling on his knees ; ' oh, dear, kind 

 sir, teach me to read!' The schoolmaster complied. The boy 

 came to him at all his leisure hours, and learned so rapidly, that the 

 schoolmaster recommended him to a nobleman who resided in the 

 neighbourhood. This gentleman, who was as noble in mind as in 

 birth, patronised the poor boy, and sent him to school at Ratisbon. 

 The boy profited by his opportunities ; and when he rose, as he soon 

 did, to wealth and honours, he adopted two Fieldfares as his arms. 

 ' What do you mean ? ' cried the bishop's friend. ' I mean,' 

 returned the bishop, with a smile, ' that the poor boy was myself.' 



THE EEDWING (Turdus iliacus) sometimes called the 

 Red-sided, or Wind-thrush, or Swine-pipe. This is another 

 of our winter visitants, arriving in October, and departing 

 in April or May, somewhat earlier than the Fieldfare, with 

 which it often associates. It is smaller than that bird, being 

 about eight inches and three-quarters in length, and in the 

 colour of its plumage more nearly resembles the Song 

 Thrush. It is distinguished, however, by a blackish-brown 

 spot over the eye, with a large whitish band over it, and a 

 whiter neck and breast. There is also a large red patch 



