8o More Tales of the Birds 



the ferns to uncurl themselves, and the oaks 

 on the rocky slopes of the Kite's fortress to 

 put on their first ruddy hue ; and now the 

 showers had passed, and the setting sun was 

 shining full in the old Baron's face as he sat 

 on his bough above the precipices. But neither 

 sun nor shower could rouse him from his 

 reverie. 



Suddenly he raised his head and uttered a 

 cry ; and at the same moment you might have 

 seen the Baroness gliding slowly over the oppo- 

 site hill. As she neared him, she stopped in 

 mid-air over the roaring torrent and answered 

 his call ; and then he slipped off his bough, 

 like a ship launched into the yielding water, 

 and silently joined her. They flew round and 

 round each other once or twice, and the fisher- 

 man on the rocks below looked up and gazed 

 at them with admiration. You could tell them 

 apart without difficulty : the Baroness was the 

 larger bird of the two, and her feathers were 

 in better order she was still young, not more 

 than twenty or so ; while the old Baron looked 

 worn and battered, though the red of his back 



