XIX.

THE ROBIN.

Bit'-ter, very cold.

Hun'-ger, want of food.

Shrunk, become small.

Warb'-ling, singing.

Pris'-on, cage.

the foot of a window.

Win'-dow-sill, stone or wood at Si'-lent, dumb.

shrinking with

Al-low'ed, had leave.

The ground is

Ir is a bitter morning.

white. Poor little Robin! The seeds and grains of corn he used to find about the doors are all covered up with snow. Hunger and cold make him tame, and he hops to the doorstep, or to the windowsill, with his small shrunk feet and shiv-ering legs. His meek eye seems to say, "Please to give me some breakfast."

"Stop," said Peter, "I'll run for my trap, with the strings and horse-hair, and will try to catch him by the leg."

No, no," said little Mary,

frighten him, poor fellow.

"don't

Mama says

that many would be thankful even for the crumbs we make when we cut the

bread at tea-time.

glad to get them.”

I'm sure Robin will be

So she got a handful of crumbs, and threw them out; and then she and her

42

THE ROBIN.

brother went back, that Robin might pick

them up.

Every morning, while the storm lasted, Robin came for more crumbs. He seemed to have found a friend; and I am sure Mary felt happy at being kind even to a poor Robin-red-breast.

Poor Robin! why should any of you try to catch him? Would it do you any good? When very young, I once saw a poor lark caught. It used to soar, singing and warbling in the morning sun. A cruel boy put it into a cage, but the lark could not sing any longer. It sat cowering and silent in its prison, as if its little heart would break; and, oh, how glad it was when the cage door was open and it was allowed to fly away!

Be kind to Robin-red-breast, and to all his brothers and sisters that sing among the branches. Their life and their lib-er-ty are as sweet to them as yours are to you.

QUESTIONS.

At what time of the year did this robin come? What was on the ground? What were covered up? Where did the bird go for food? What did he seem to say? What was Peter going to do? For what purpose? Who

forbade him? What did she throw to the robin? How long did he visit her house? How did she feel towards him? What was the lark put into? Who did it? What state was it in How should we treat all birds?

WRITE-Every morning, while the storm lasted, robin came for more crumbs.

Write the names of birds you know.

XX.-ROBIN-RED-BREAST.

PRETTY Robin-red-breast,
Hop-ping in the snow;
Why are you so early here
I should like to know?

Faith-ful Robin-red-breast!
With re-turn-ing spring
Soon the birds will come again,
To glitter or to sing.

Though some have gayer coats,

Some a sweeter song,

You, Robin, stay with us
All the winter long.

Come then, sweet Robin-red-breast,
Prithee do not fear;

No rude boy is standing by,

No sly pussy near.

44

ROBIN REDBREAST,

Come nearer to the window, friend,
For safely you may come;

There eat your fill, and take beside
A tiny morsel home.

XXI-THE BOY AND THE STARLING

Fond, much loved.

Hon'-est, just, true.

Steal, to take what is not our

Thief, one who steals. [own.

Pock'-et, a small bag in a dress. A-mu'se, to delight.

A POOR man had a

speak a few words.

starling that could

When its master

said, "Star-ling, where are you?" the bird would say, "Here I am."

A little boy, whose name was Charles Reid, was very fond of the bird, and came often to see it. Little Charles was not very honest, and had a wish to make the bird his own.

One day he came when the man was out. Charles got hold of the bird, put it in his pock-et, and was going to steal away with it.

At that very mo-ment the man came back. He found Charles in the room, and, without seeing the trick that he had played, and wishing to amuse the little boy, he

called to the bird, Star-ling, where are you?" "Here I am," sang out the b

from the little thief's pock-et.

To whom did the starling be- What did he lay hold of? Where long? What was it taught to do? did he put it? Who came into the What words could it say? Who house? What did he wish to do was fond of the bird? What to the boy? What did the man was his character? For what call out? What did the bird redid this give him a desire? ply? Where from? What lesWhen did he go to see it? son is to be learnt from this? WRITE-Little Charles was not very honest, and had a wish to make the bird his own.

HERE are a little boy and a dog. The boy is crying, and is much afraid, for the dog holds him by the jacket, and drags him. along. What can the dog mean, or what does he wish to do with the boy?

This is the story. A Duke had a very fine dog whose name was Dash, Dash had