CALVER THE SONG-SPARROW 297 



like the rest, he was an inhabitant of the upper air. But what was 

 their surprise and chagrin to meet only a poor little plain sparrow, 

 quietly making its breakfast of the tender blossoms of the clove 

 tree. 



"What audacity" said the flamingo, "to think such a mite as 

 you, should venture into the company of your betters, unasked." 



"Ha! ha!" laughed the proud peacock, "a pretty figure you 

 would cut singing in a blossoming tree in that quaint little drab 

 coat of yours." 



"I wonder if it has invited its cousin the toad," said a swan just 

 arriving from a lake in the interior of the island. "I could find 

 none for my breakfast this morning ; I presume they were arrang- 

 ing their toilets by swallowing their old trousers and putting on 

 tights. Well, well, when the toad-and-sprarow concert comes 

 off, I hope I shall receive an invitation," continued the swan, 

 arching his neck to look at the rest of the company to make stire 

 of their approval of his wit; "for I shall like to be spared the 

 trouble of hunting for my breakfast." 



"I thought," said the timid little sparrow, "that all the birds 

 were invited, and I " 



"All the birds,'" exclaimed the bird of paradise, "You a bird? 

 Well I should think so! Look at me, is there any resemblance 

 between us? I should think you were more a frog or a beetle than 

 an5rthing else." 



"Come, come," said the peacock, "we cannot have such a 

 nuisance on the ground when our queen arrives. She would be 

 disgusted and leave us immediately." 



"Here's your breakfast, Mr. Swan" said the flamingo, reaching 

 up his long neck and, taking the poor little bird in his crooked 

 bill, threw it on the ground near the swan, at which the peacock 

 fearing it would get away, rushed up and placed his foot upon it. 



Just at this crisis, who should descend into their midst but the 

 Fairy Queen; and seeing so small a bird in trouble, carefully 

 picked it up and folded rhe trembling little thing to her bosom. 



At this the belligerents in the foreground immediately fell 

 back to a respectftd distance and when quiet was restored, the 

 queen said, "I have been a witness of all that has taken place here 

 this morning. I came early to learn for myself to whom the 

 gift of song would be appropriate. Your majesty, said she, turning 

 to the flamingo, shall only bear from this place the mark of your 



