traver] pine tree AND MAN IN THE MOON 347 



very strong, even stronger than I am. Once he broke off one of my 

 limbs, that was because Mr. Wind forgot to visit me th^at day, 

 so he couldn't help me shake off Mr. Snow." 



"I think that was very unkind of Mr. Snow," said Roger. 



"Indeed you must not say that", replied Mr. Pine Tree, a little 

 angrily, Roger thought. "He was very sorry the accident hap- 

 pened. You see he doesn't realize how strong he is, and Mr. 

 Wind nearly always comes along before he can pile on flakes enough 

 to hurt me any. Besides he covers all the earth with a warm 

 blanket in the cold winter, so that the little seeds under the ground 

 won't be hurt when Jack Frost comes riding down from the north 

 in Mr. Winter's arms." 



' * Have you eyer been to the far north?" asked Roger, rather glad 

 to change the subject. 



"No, I have always lived here but my friends have told me of 

 my many, many cousins who live in other countries. I have cousins 

 in the north, almost farther north than any other trees can go. 

 Then I have other cousins on high mountains, up so high that it is very 

 cold, and not many other trees can grow. But they hang on tight 

 to the rocks with their roots, and laugh as they wrestle with Mr. 

 Wind. Often he twists their branches into queer shapes, but still 

 they are stronger than he. We are fighters we pine trees. We 

 don't likew^rm lands very well. The warm air there makes us 

 feel weak and unhappy. We like the wind and the rain and the 

 cold and Jack Frost. Then others of my cousins stand beside the 

 e^sea and the big waves leap up at them and try to pull them down. 

 I should like to see the ocean very much, and the mountains and 

 the northland, but my friends tell me all about them, and then I 

 drean about them and that is almost as good." 



"What other friends have you, Mr. Pine Tree?" 



" I have told you of some of my winter friends, but I have others 

 besides. Little Mr. and Mrs. Chickadee and Mr. Junco come then 

 and Mr. and Mrs. Nuthatch and the Brown Creepers. They 

 help me by hunting for bugs and other insects under my bark 

 that might hurt me. Once in a while Mr. Red Squirrel comes out 

 of his winter home, on a nice sunny day, and scampers around 

 in my branches. Sometimes Mrs. Owl comes to visit me for a 

 little while too. But when spring comes then the birds return 

 from the south, and what stories they have to tell us of the fine 

 times they have had all winter. In the night I hear the wild ducks 



