CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE 



THE COURT OF THE ANIMALS AND BIRDS 



Once upon a time, not very long ago, the birds and ani- 

 mals were brought into court to be tried on the charge of 

 committing all sorts of misdeeds. Some of their accusers 

 wanted to shoot them for food. Others said they did much 

 harm and should be destroyed, while still others envied 

 their beautiful coats of fur or feathers. To settle the matter 

 fairly, the judge decided that each prisoner should be tried 

 by itself. 



The first case called was that of the Enghsh sparrow, 

 who made such a noisy disturbance that the bailiff had to 

 call for silence. All witnesses asserted that the bird was a 

 foreigner and did not belong in this country. They further 

 testified that the sparrow was a meddlesome, gossiping 

 neighbor, always fighting the other birds and driving them 

 away. The sparrow looked around, but not a single friend 

 could he find. The court decided that he should be driven 

 out and made the lawful prey of every one. He cautioned 

 all present, however, always to be very careful to distin- 

 guish between the English sparrow and the other sparrows. 

 The latter birds must on no account be molested, for they 

 were without any exceptions most useful citizens. 



In regard to the linnet the judge hardly knew what to 

 say. The bird was shown to be a' sweet singer, but very 

 destructive of fruit. It was finally decided that a census 

 of the linnets must be taken occasionally. Whenever their 

 number was found to be so great as to endanger the fruit 

 crop in any particular place, the farmers were to be allowed 

 to dispose of a certain number. 



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