Literature and Art 



201 



Lesson 131 



The 



robin was 

 there 



THE LESSON IN NEST- 

 BUILDING 



ONCE upon a time there 

 was a great meeting of 

 birds. There were gathered 

 together a thrush, blackbird, 

 lark, robin, bluebird, wren, 

 swallow, sparrow, owl, and 

 also many more, The magpie had 

 found a way to build a wonderful 

 nest, and the other birds wished to 

 know how it was done. So she called them all 

 together to show them. 



After telling them to watch carefully, she began 

 to build by taking some mud and pressing it into 

 a round, flat shape. Before she had time to do 

 more one of the birds flew away, thinking she 

 had learned all there was to know about nest- 

 building, and to this day her children build their 

 nests with mud, for they have been taught no better 

 way. 



Next the magpie took bits of twigs and pressed 

 them into the mud for a strong foundation. With- 



