Music of the Wild 



them ill their coats of h\'iiig' green. Somber and 

 ahnost deserted tlie marsh hes, while above it 

 to^\ers tlie woodpecker's drum, a monument to 

 lonehness. 



Then comes Jack I'rost, waving his magician's 

 ^\'and and transforming tlie gray old marsh to a 

 scene of splendor. Xot a tree, bush or log does 

 he miss Avlien he s})reads his white robe and scat- 

 ters his je\\'els; and his lace-webbed work on tine 

 vines and weeds is most beautiful of all. Betimes 

 a cardinal flashes like a tongue of flame across the 

 'Salute sheen, poA\dering his gay plumage M'ith crys- 

 tals as he searches for seeds or rocks on a twig and 

 sings to the world of "Good cheer!" Again, a 

 song sparrow bra\'ely pi])es in the face of ice and 

 snow, a falcon cries or a hawk screams. Small 

 gra}' titmice chatter socially as they search for 

 seed, and crows, ajjpearing their biggest and black- 

 est in this white setting, keep watchful eyes for 

 the sleeping quarters of all smaller birds. 



From hollciw trees the squirrels loudly bark. 

 There are long irregular trails across the sno^v 

 where the furred ])eople go hunting, and do\\n to 

 the water to drink, and trampled places where the 

 cotton-tails dance in the moonlight. And always, 

 Avith darkness, from big hollow sycamores slip the 

 only feathered singers of Avinter nights — the owls 

 — with faces to fear, soundless wings, and dread- 

 ful claws, to ])rey on oth.er musicians. 



324 



