132 
OUR BIRDS IN WINTER. 
Greenfinch with a broken wing. I’m very 
sorry ; how much the poor thing must suffer ! 
I will nurse it, and try to heal it ; and, when 
it is well, I will give it its freedom, for it 
w^ould be cruel to keep it confined when 
it must love its liberty.’ So he made a little 
cage of strips of thin boards, and putting 
in it a nice soft nest, and some crumbs, and 
clean cold water, he placed the bird in the 
nest, — watched it for a while, — then left it, 
and went to help his mother, returning occa- 
sionally to see how his pet got along. 
This exhibition of good nature and ten- 
der disposition was very pleasing to Spinnette, 
the fairy, and she resolved that Oscar should 
be the first to feel the benefits of her friend- 
liness for the old woodman. 
At noon, when his father and brother 
returned from their labor in the forest, Oscar 
showed his prize to them : his father com- 
mended his action ; but Henry, feeling the 
pain of the thorn in his foot, which had 
troubled him all the forenoon, and feeling re- 
vengeful, scornfully laughed at Oscar’s folly, 
