BIRD LEGEND AND LIFE 



Without hesitation, he selected the most beautiful among 

 them, but discovered upon trying it on that, in its long feath- 

 ers, flying would be difficult, so it was laid aside. From one 

 to another he went, but there was some fault to be found with 

 each. One was not warm enough, another would attract too 

 much attention, another would soil too easily. So he went 

 through the entire collection till he came to the last — ^the 

 coarsest, ugliest, plainest among them — and too small to be 

 drawn up over the face, as all the others could be worn. But 

 as he had been forbidden to try on any garment more than 

 once, he must either take the one he has worn ever since that 

 day, or go uncovered. 



When birds congregate to-day, they often twit the buz- 

 zard with reference to his imattractive dress, and taunt him 

 with his uncleanly habits; but he invariably reminds them 

 that he had the first choice and selected the one that pleased 

 him best among all bird coverings, and that his habits were 

 acquired through doing a service for others. 



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