112 STORIES OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS 



but others passed onward to the islands in the 

 wake of the Swallows. All winter long we 

 toiled for our bread in the Flower Market, but 

 among such flowers that the 1 very sight of them 

 would make our home-staying brothers turn into 

 beetles with envy. 



"Then, stopping to give greetings in all the 

 Flower Markets by the way, I returned ; and now 

 when the first eggs of the year are laid, my life 

 work will be done." 



"Why didn't the birds eat you?" asked 

 Tommy-Anne, incredulously. " You. must have 

 met a great many hungry ones in travelling so far." 



" Heart of Nature protects us. He has wrapped 

 our bodies in a magic perfume that is hateful to 

 birds." And the Monarch fluttered close to her 

 face for a second. 



" Oh, oh ! " cried Tommy- Anne, pinching her 

 poor little nose tightly together. " I don't call 

 that a perfume y it is a smell, and a very bad one, 

 too. Thank you, that is quite enough; I under- 

 stand perfectly why the birds do not eat you." 



"So do I, mistress," said Waddles. "I once 

 caught one of these Monarchs, and, between our- 

 selves, / think it ought to be called the Skunk 

 Butterfly ! " 



But the Monarch overheard, and, taking offence 



