THE LEGEND OF OPECHEE 65 



" Still looking at us, she saw the reddening of 

 our breasts, and said, 'Forget your stripes and 

 spots, my Robins, and wear forever on your faith- 

 ful breasts the earth-colour, reddened in my ser- 

 vice by the touch of morning ! 



" ' And you, my Bluebirds, sweethearts, carry 

 on your shoulders the blue sky of my new home to 

 be the spring sign of your Earth Mother.' And 

 she gently rubbed the rusty edges from their 

 feathers until they were bright blue. 



" Once more she said, 4 Return, my brothers,' 

 and then we no longer saw her, and we obeyed. 



"When we reached the mountain, it was full 

 morning, and there was a sound of weeping about 

 the wigwam, and within lay a shape they called 

 Wenonah, and they said, 4 She is dead ! ' 



"But we knew better. 



" To this day we have kept our ruddy breasts, 

 and Owaissa his blue back and sad note ; and if 

 our young show, at first, some of the old-time 

 stripes, they quickly moult away." 



When the Robin ended, all the birds remained 

 silent and seemed deeply impressed. But the 

 story of his ancestors did not trouble Mr. Robin 

 or make him sad, and after giving his listeners a 

 little bobbing bow, he was soon on the ground, 

 trying to jerk out an earthworm, that was twice 



