126 THE LANGUAGE OF BIRDS. 
birds, that he would leave his service in that inn, and 
go to the Vicars in hopes of plunder. But she refused 
to follow him, resolving to stay either at Ratisbon, 
or go to Nuremberg. 
There was a long and earnest contention between 
them; and all this dialogue the birds repeated. They 
even repeated the unseemly words which were cast 
out between them, and which ought rather to have 
been suppressed and kept a secret; but the birds 
not knowing the difference between modest and im- 
modest, honest and filthy words, did out with them. 
The other story was concerning the war which the 
emperor was then threatening against the protestants ; 
which the birds had probably heard from some of the 
generals that had conferences in the house. These 
things did they repeat in the night, after twelve 
o'clock, when there was a deep silence. But, in the 
day-time, for the most part, they were silent, and 
seemed to do nothing but meditate and resolve within 
themselves upon what the guests conferred together 
as they sat at table or in their walks. I verily 
had never believed our Pliny, writing so many won- 
derful things concerning these little creatures, had I 
not myself seen with my eyes, and heard them with 
