1 1 8 More Tales of the Birds 



" Don't you think it may be all a dream ? " 

 said the Canary, kindly; "are you sure there 

 are such things as you talk of? You can't 

 see the Downs from here, can you? Then 

 how do you know there are such things? It's 

 all a dream, I tell you : I had such a dream 

 once, of rocky hills and curious trees, and 

 fierce sun, and a vast expanse of blue waves, 

 and all sorts of strange things that I have 

 heard men talk of; but it was only because 

 my grandmother had been telling us of the old 

 island home of our family, that belongs to us 

 by right if we could only get there. I never 

 was there myself, you see, yet I dreamed of 

 it, and you have been dreaming of the Downs, 

 which no doubt belong to your family by 

 right." 



" I can't see the Downs," said the Linnet, 

 " but I can feel them still, and I know that 

 my feeling is true." 



After this there was silence for a few 

 minutes. Suddenly the Canary burst into song, 

 as if to drive away the Linnet's sad thoughts. 

 And so indeed he meant it, and also to ease 



