OTHER NEIGHBORS IN THE TREES. 217 



field of tournament. What invisible circle sits round to 

 adjudge the prize ? 



5. What secret does he bring me under those misty 

 wings— that busy, birring sound, like neighbor Clark's 

 spinning-wheel ? Is he busy as well — this bit of pure light 

 and heat ? Yes ! he too has got a little home down in the 

 swamp over there — that bit of a knot on the young oak 

 sapling. Last year we found a nest lined with the floss of 

 willow-catkin stuck all over with lichens, deep enough to 

 secure the two pure round pearls from being thrown out, 

 strongly fastened to the forked branch — a home so snug, 

 so warm, so soft ! — a home "contrived for fairy needs." 



6. Who but the fairies or Mr. Fine-Ear himself ever 

 heard the tiny tap of the young bird when he breaks the 

 imprisoning shell ? The mother-bird knows well the fine 

 sound. Hours ? Days ? No, weeks she has sat, to hear at 

 last that least wave of sound. What ! this tiny bit of rest- 

 less motion sit there still ? Minutes must be long hours to 

 her quick, panting heart. I will just whisper it in your 

 ear, that the meek-looking mother-bird only comes out be- 

 tween daylight and dark — just like other busy mothers I 

 have known, who take a little run out after tea. 



7. Can it be that Mr. Ruby-Throat keeps all the sun- 

 shiny hours for himself, that he may enjoy to the full his 

 own gay flight ? Ah ! you know nothing, hear nothing of 

 woman's rights up there in that well-ordered household. 

 Were it not well if we too could give up our royal right of 

 choice — if we could fall back on our strong earth-horn in- 

 stincts — to be, to know, to do, one thing ? 



8. See how closely our darling curls up his slender 

 black feet and legs, that we may not see this one bit of 

 mortality about him ! No, my little immortal does not 

 touch the earth ; he hangs suspended by that long bill 

 which just tethers him to its flowers. Now and then he 

 will let down the little black tendrils of legs and feet on 



