56

THE BANTAM COCK.

ground. He seemed afraid, but not much hurt. After plu-ming his feathers for a short time, he began to strut about and crow, as if quite proud of his kind deed.

May not all learn a lesson from the pretty ban-tam? Both young and old would do well not to forget it, as it teaches us how to help one another.

READING AND SPELLING COLUMNS.

Who took it up? Where did he then

Where did the gentleman live? | to lift it up? What did he see from his win- With what? dow? What doing? Where? go to? Where did he place the How were the birds flying? What sparrow? In doing this what had fallen? Where from? Where befel the bantam? What did he built? Where did the bird lie do after he got up? What leswhen it fell? Who were unable son does this story teach?

WRITE-Both young and old should help one another.

XXVIII.-THE

Mer'-ry, glad.

Shi'-ning, giving light.

Lin'-ger, remain behind.

LITTLE LARK.

Ear'-ly, soon, at sunrise.
Plough'-man, a farm servant.
Tune, song.

"I HEAR a pretty bird, but hark!

I cannot see it anywhere;

Oh! it is a little lark,

Singing in the morning air.

Little lark, do tell me why
You are singing in the sky?

"Other little birds at rest

Have not yet begun to sing;
Every one is in its nest,

With its head behind its wing.
Little lark, then tell me why
You sing so early in the sky?"

"'Tis to sing a merry song

To the pleasant morning light;
Why linger in my nest so long
When the sun is shining bright?
Little lady, this is why

I sing so early in the sky.

"To the little birds below
I do sing a merry tune;
And I let the ploughman know
He must come to labour soon.

Little lady, this is why
I am singing in the sky."

WRITE-Little lady, this is why I am singing in the sky.

SCRIPT EXERCISE.

Write the names of all the singing birds that you know.

Pro-vide', procure.

Diz'-zy, giddy.

In-sult', mock.

Prey, food.

Grove, small wood.

Daz'-zled, overpowered with Dusk, twilight, evening.

An owl sat upon the ruin of an old gateway watch-ing for any little mouse that might come out of its hole.

A little boy, who had to pass that way, saw the owl, and thought it was a cat. He took up a stone to throw at it, but just at that moment the owl looking down said, "Hoot, hoot, hoot."

The boy was just on the point of running off with fright, when the owl again said, "Hoot, hoot, hoot, stop, little boy, you must not throw stones at me; I am not a cat, as you thought, but I am a poor owl, that has got no supper, and I am sitting here until I see a fat mouse peep from its hole, when I hope to make it my prey."

"Why," said the boy, "did you not pro-vide your supper in the day-light, when you could have seen much better

to catch the mice and the little birds than in the dark?"

"Oh," said the owl, "I cannot see in the glare of day. My eye is made to see in the dark; and were I to go out in the broad light of the sun, my eye would be daz-zled, my head become dizzy, and all the birds of the grove would then in-sult and abuse me.

"I make my nest in this old tower here, or in a hole in the wall of a barn, where I am sure to get plenty of mice hence I am called the barn or white owl. I lay from three to five eggs of a blu-ish white colour; but I will not tell you where my present nest is, as I know that little boys are fond to have my eggs, and they often take away my young ones and kill them.

"I sit in my dark hole all day, but when the dusk of the eve-ning comes on, I fly out in search of food, and go off to hunt for mice, and even little birds, if they happen to be out so late. Here I sit ready to pounce on my prey; but you must run away, little boy, for no fat

mouse will dare to peep out of its hole so long as you stand there."

READING AND SPELLING COLUMNS.

Where was the owl sitting? What the birds would do to Who saw it? What did he think it? Where did it say it made it was? What was he going to its nest? Why made in these throw at it? What did it cry? places? What name does it get What did it tell him it was? because of this? How many And what waiting for? What eggs does it lay? Of what coldid the boy say it should have our? What does the owl do done? What did it tell the boy all day? Of what use is the about its eye? About what owl?

the light would do to its head?

WRITE-Here I sit, ready to pounce on my prey.

Shep'-herd,

XXX.-THE SILLY LITTLE LAMB.

sheep.

one who herds Fold, place where sheep are

Sick, unwell, ill.

Climb'ed, walked up.

Steep, sloping.

Stile, steps into a field.
Sil'-ly, simple.

Dare'-say, perhaps, may-be.

THERE was once a

kept.

Sli'-ly, stealthily.
Frisk'ed, leapt.

Cave, a hollow in the earth.
Sei'zed, laid hold of.

Cubs, young wolves.
Dis'-mal, dark.

shepherd who had a

great many sheep and lambs. He took great care of them, and gave them sweet fresh grass to eat, and clear water to drink; and if they were sick, he was very good to