THE DISCONTENTED SQUIRREL 65 



feathered neighbours what it was all about, they 

 were surprised at his innocence, and answered that 

 it was about migration. And what was migration ? 

 A funny question to put to a bird ! However, 

 they condescended to inform their ignorant young 

 friend that migration meant going away from the 

 country in order to escape the winter. For now 

 winter was coming, that sad season of leafless trees 

 and of short, dark days ; of wet and wind and 

 bitter, bitter cold, when lakes and streams would 

 be frozen over, and the earth buried in white, 

 awful snow. 



And where would they go to escape these awful 

 changes ? 



They would go to a land where there was no 

 winter ; where the trees were green all the year 

 round, with flowers always blooming, and fruit and 

 nuts always ripening. 



" Oh beautiful land ! oh happy birds ! " thought 

 the squirrel, " But where is that desirable country ? " 

 he asked. 



" Over that way," replied the birds, pointing to 

 the south, just as if it were a place quite near, 

 " It was," they added, " beyond the ridge of blue 

 hills one could see on that side," 



These tidings threw the squirrel into a great 

 state of excitement, and he spent his whole time 

 running after and questioning every bird he knew, 

 " When," he asked, " would the migration begin ? " 



They laughed at the question, and said it had 

 begun some time ago, and was going on at the 



F 



