T 1 6 More Tales of the Birds 



living. The bitterness of that first moment in 

 the cage I won't and can't describe to you. 

 If you were turned out of your cage into the 

 street to keep company with the Sparrows, 

 you might feel a little, a very little, like it. 

 At first it was furious anger that seized me, 

 then utter blank stupefying despair. 



" The man flung something over the cage, 

 and I was in darkness. I suppose he went on 

 with his wicked work, for after a while the 

 cage door was opened, and another Linnet was 

 put in, struggling and furious : and this hap- 

 pened several times. Each time the door was 

 opened I made a frantic effort to get out, and 

 the others too, and the little cage was full of 

 loose feathers and struggling birds. One of 

 us did get away, with the loss of his tail, and 

 most gladly would I have given my tail for 

 liberty and one more sight of my mate and 

 the eggs. 



" At last the cage was taken up : we all 

 fluttered and scrambled over each other, think- 

 ing something better was going to happen 

 now. But nothing happened for a long time, 



