THE ROBIN 243 



Drayton, in a fable-poem written just after King James I. 

 came to the throne, refers to this belief — 



" Covering with moss the dead's unclosed eye, 

 The httle redbreast teacheth charitie." 



But probably even older than Michael Drayton is the 

 ballad of " The Children in the Wood," that piteous tale 

 in which the only kind act done for the two orphan babes 

 left alone in the forest was that which was done by the 

 Robin, when they perished of hunger and fear and 



sorrow^ 



"Their prettye lippes with blackberries 

 Were all besmear'd and dyed; 

 And when they saw the darksome night 

 They sat them downe and cryed. 



Thus wandered these poor innocents, 



Till death did end their grief; 

 In one another's amies they dyed, 



As wanting due relief ; 

 No burial this pretty pair 



Of any man receives, 

 Till Eobin Eedbreast piously 



Did cover them with leaves." 



Perhaps that touching old ballad is not known to boys 

 and girls so well as it used to be, though I remember 

 learning it when I was a very little boy. But it was 

 learned and loved, century after century, in town and 

 country, long enough and well enough to make children, 

 when they grew up, think of every Robin with a very 

 friendly feeling. 



The "pious act" of the Robin in the ballad may possibly 

 have been suggested by a prudent trick which the hen 

 bird has of covering up the precious eggs in her nest, 

 before she leaves them. She and her mate are also said to 

 screen off the nest sometimes with dry leaves, if it seems 



