IN FEATHERS AND FUR. 161 
A GOOD LITTLE MOTHER WITH A BAD NAME. 
There is a very nice, careful little mother, not an inch long, 
who never does a bit of harm. On the contrary, she is quite useful 
to us and perfectly devoted to her babies. Yet shocking stories 
are told about her, and it's all on account of her name. 
You see she has a very droll pair of wings. 
She seldom opens them ; but when she does 
they look something like a human ear. So the 
poor creature got the name of Ear-wig or Ear- 
, wing. Whereupon some people, who thought 
they knew everything, said she was so named 
because she had a fancy for getting into peo- 
r pie's ears ! And then every ignorant and stupid 
nurse-girl repeated it to the children. So it 
went on spreading, like other scandal — and 
nothing in the world can spread like scandal — 
till everybody got to be dreadfully afraid of the innocent little crea- 
ture, and nobody dared lie down on the grass for fear a prowling 
Ear-wig should take up her quarters in his ear. So her reputation 
got thoroughly established as an evil-disposed mother, and even the 
wise men who make the books fell into the error. 
Don't you believe a word of it! Nobody would be more 
frightened than she to find herself in such a place. And, if she 
did happen to stray in, she couldn't possibly get further than the 
drum of the ear (you know you have a little drum in your ear, don't 
you ?) 
But she has altogether different ideas about a nursery for her 
babies. She much prefers a damp wall or a hole between bricks. 
This she prepares very carefully and nicely, by smoothing the stone 
or brick, making a nice bed of brick-dust, and altogether a very 
cozy and comfortable house, about as big as a lady's watch. When 
the house is fixed to her taste, she lays her eggs. 
But her work isn't yet done ; in fact, it's hardly begun. Every 
day, for three or four weeks, she turns those eggs — I don't know 
how many dozens of them. At the end of this time they hatch, and 
out come a whole tribe of babies. 
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