'MY INFANCY^ 



25 



or who seems to be in particular need of help, and 

 there is no one to say that you have no business to 

 talk to common little children. 



My birthday was at rather a good time of the 

 year, because I was big and strong when the 

 winter came, and it was beginning to get warm 

 when I had to leave the nest. Of course, one 

 cannot stay in it for very long, when there is sure 

 to be a new family coming soon, who will want 

 cosy lodgings ; but I had to leave it even earlier 

 than I expected, owing to an accident, as I will tell 

 you presently. 



It is very difficult to say exactly which is the 

 best month for a birthday. 1 heard one of you 

 grumbling and growling once because his came 

 at Christmas, which enabled people to mix his 

 Christmas present and his birthday present all 

 into one, and he did not seem to think that they 

 allowed enough for the mixing. Anyway, it is 

 much nicer to have two presents a long way apart 

 than only one all in a lump. But that sort of 

 thing does not matter to us. What we have to 

 think about most is whether we shall live or be 

 killed, which is a far more interesting question 

 than whether we shall get one big present or two 

 little ones. With us it is always a question of one 



