I 1 6 Ways of Wood Folk. 



to be the handle of a glass cup or pitcher. A frag- 

 ment of the vessel itself had broken off with the han- 

 dle, so that the ring was complete. Altogether it was 

 just the thing for the purpose — bright, and not too 

 heav3^ and most convenient for a crow to seize and 

 carry. Once well gripped, it would take a good deal 

 of worrying to make him drop it. 



Who first was " it," as children say in games .? 

 Was it a special privilege of the crow who first found 

 the talisman, or do the crows have some way of count- 

 ing out for the first leader.'' There is a school-house 

 down that same old dusty road. Sometimes, when at 

 play there, I used to notice the crows stealing silently 

 from tree to tree in the woods beyond, watching our 

 play, I have no doubt, as I now had watched theirs. 

 Only we have grown older, and forgotten how to play ; 

 and they are as much boys as ever. Did they learn 

 their game from watching us at tag, I wonder .? And 

 do they know coram, and leave-stocks, and prisoners' 

 base, and bull-in-the-ring as well } One could easily 

 believe their wise little black heads to be capable of 

 any imitation, especially if one had watched them a 

 few times, at work and play, when they had no idea 

 they were being spied upon. 



