28 Bird Day Book 



THE FOOLISH FARMER, THE SMART TOAD, 

 AND THE BUSY BIRD. 



♦&+» 



ONCE upon a time there was a man who lived alone upon a 

 plantation where he might have raised good crops if it had not 

 been for the myriads of insects which destroyed his fruit and 

 grain. One day, when he was looking in despair at his ruined 

 fields, a bird and a toad said to him : 



"Let us come and bring our friends to live with you and we 

 will save your harvest." 



So the man said, "Come." 



For a long time all went well. More birds came and sang in 

 the tree-tops. Tiny toads hopped about the fields in the refreshing 

 summer showers. But the man forgot how his friends had saved 

 him, and he grew careless of their comfort. He allowed gunners 

 to shoot the birds for their beautiful feathers, and the toads could 

 find no place where it was safe for them to stay. Then the birds 

 and toads said, "We will go away and leave you because you have 

 been unkind to us. Others may come to take our places. If you 

 drive them away as you have driven us away, you will die. Listen, 

 before it is too late." 



But the man laughed to think that his life could depend upon 

 such insignificant creatures, and he paid no heed to their words. 

 The years went on and the fields lay bare and desolate under the 

 Mimmer sun. In the deserted cabin was no sound or sign of life. 



— Human Calendar, 1912. 



