56 STORIES OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS 



of the House People understanding it, or you 

 would know why our breasts are ruddy and have 

 lost their spots. The reason of this lies in the 

 farback, and even the legend of it is so old that 

 the wisest of the White-headed Eagles, who told 

 it to me, did not know when it first was shaped 

 to words." 



"Please tell us the legend," urged Tommy- 

 Anne, glancing appealingly toward the Song- 

 Sparrow, who, seeing that Gheezis was looking 

 at the earth slantwise, said : " There really is 

 not time unless perhaps the Kingbird would 

 be willing to wait and tell his story when the 

 birds of the air meet for their flying practice." 



"I would much rather wait," replied the King- 

 bird, " for then I shall have more to tell. Beside, 

 I'm belated now, my nest is not finished, and it 

 must be done to-night, as I have promised sev- 

 eral friends to chase Crows for them to-morrow 

 morning." 



"Chase Crows? What have the Crows been 

 doing ? " 



"The same as usual, the cowards! Sneaking 

 into Robins' nests and sucking the eggs, stealing 

 a young bird here, another there. But it was 

 not for nothing that the Red Brothers called me 

 the Sachem. Ondaig flies in terror, covering his 



