12 



A FUNNY LITTLE MOTHER. 



Hen Topknot, who had bnt four in her brood, would not hear of 

 adopting any more, and taking care of the httle strangers. She 

 pecked at them so sharply that the poor things ran off, and stood 

 in a group by themselves in a corner of the chicken-yard, crying as 

 loud as they could cry. 



S'i37e felt like cry- 

 ing, too, ^hp A\ as so 

 sorry I'or the mothei- 

 lessones. 

 She took 

 u p the 

 chickens 

 in he r 



apron, where they cuddled down, glad to get warm, and glad to 

 hide away from cross Hen Topknot. 



" I'll be your mother, myself! " said Susie. 



And a good mother she was, too. She soon taught the ten little 

 black and white and speckled chickens to scratch for worms. She 

 put them to bed every night in an old basket, and covered them up 

 warm. In the morning how glad they were to see their new little 

 mother ! They ran to her wherever she was when they were tired. 

 And such a funny sight it was to see those ten chickens fly into 

 Susie's lap, creep imder her apron, and cuddle against her neck 

 with little cooing sounds! 



