The Brave Brown Sparrows In Winter
: Daddy's Bedtime Bird Stories"You know," said daddy, "I saw such a strange thing to-day in the city."
"Tell us about it," said Jack.
"What was it?" asked Evelyn, who was always interested in
whatever daddy had to say.
"Well," continued daddy, "in a tree in the park lots and lots of little
sparrows were roosting. It was, of course, a perfectly bare tree without
a leaf on it, and they were huddled together,
"I watched them for quite a time. There was one sparrow who looked the
leader. He did most of the chirping and was apparently telling all the
others what they must do and giving all sorts of directions. He chirped
almost constantly for ten minutes, and then he flew down from the tree
and hopped along the ground. He picked up crumb after crumb, and then
when he had as many as he could carry in his beak he flew up in the tree
again and left them on a branch where there was a kind of hole in which
to put them. He was evidently showing all the other birds just what to
do, for in a minute or two any number of them flew down to the ground
and began to pick up crumbs.
"It was wonderful to see how many they could find, for I myself could
hardly see any, and all the time he kept chirping to the others and
telling them what to do.
"This kept up for some time, for the birds would fly back and forth,
just picking up goodies and then putting them up in the tree. Meantime a
lot of other birds who had stayed up in the tree were fixing them on the
branch and dividing them all evenly."
"Didn't they eat any of them?" asked Evelyn.
"Yes. After quite awhile they all flew back to the tree again, and once
more they huddled together and had the most marvelous meal. You see, it
was their dinner time, and they all had it together at the same time to
make it more sociable. From all the cries of joy and the noise I fancy
they were having a pretty good time of it and enjoying themselves
immensely. In fact, I think they almost forgot how cold it was."
"I think it's wonderful," said Evelyn, "how well the birds can
look after themselves, for it must be pretty hard sometimes,
especially in the winter."
"Yes," said daddy, "it is, but these birds seemed so happy together and
to be having such a good time. After dinner was over they all chased
each other from one tree to another in the park and played tag and had a
beautiful time. So I think really birds and animals are smart and brave
to be able to look after themselves and their little ones so well."
More
-
The Black Thief And Knight Of The Glen
IN times of yore there was a King and a Queen in the south of Ireland who had three sons, all beautiful children; but the Queen, their mother, sickened unto death when they were yet very young, which caused great grief throughout the Court, particul... The Blind Man and the Whelp
A BLIND MAN was accustomed to distinguishing different animals by touching them with his hands. The whelp of a Wolf was brought him, with a request that he would feel it, and say what it was. He felt it, and being in doubt, said: "I do not quite k... The Blue Belt
Once on a time there was an old beggar-woman, who had gone out to beg. She had a little lad with her, and when she had got her bag full she struck across the hills towards her own home. So when they had gone a bit up the hill-side, they came upon ... The Blue Bird
A powerful and wealthy king, having lost his wife, was so inconsolable, that he shut himself up for eight entire days, in a little cabinet, where he spent his time in knocking his head against the wall, until the courtiers were afraid he would kil... The Blue Bird
Once upon a time there lived a King who was immensely rich. He had broad lands, and sacks overflowing with gold and silver; but he did not care a bit for all his riches, because the Queen, his wife, was dead. He shut himself up in a little room ... The Blue Light
There was once upon a time a soldier who for many years had served the king faithfully, but when the war came to an end could serve no longer because of the many wounds which he had received. The king said to him: 'You may return to your home, I nee... The Blue Mountains
There were once a Scotsman and an Englishman and an Irishman serving in the army together, who took it into their heads to run away on the first opportunity they could get. The chance came and they took it. They went on travelling for two days thr... The Blue Parrot
In a part of Arabia where groves of palms and sweet-scented flowers give the traveller rest after toilsome journeys under burning skies, there reigned a young king whose name was Lino. He had grown up under the wise rule of his father, who had lat... The Boasting Traveler
A MAN who had traveled in foreign lands boasted very much, on returning to his own country, of the many wonderful and heroic feats he had performed in the different places he had visited. Among other things, he said that when he was at Rhodes he had... The Bobolinks Have A Tea Party
"The other day," commenced daddy, "the bobolinks had an afternoon tea. "The tea party was given for the meadow larks. The bobolinks are great friends of the meadow larks and they wanted to be the first this season to entertain them. Besides, ... The Bogey-beast
There was once a woman who was very, very cheerful, though she had little to make her so; for she was old, and poor, and lonely. She lived in a little bit of a cottage and earned a scant living by running errands for her neighbours, getting a bite... The Bones Of Djulung
In a beautiful island that lies in the southern seas, where chains of gay orchids bind the trees together, and the days and nights are equally long and nearly equally hot, there once lived a family of seven sisters. Their father and mother wer... The Boston Tea-party
BY JOHN ANDREWS (ADAPTED) [5] On November 29, 1773, there arrived in Boston Harbor a ship carrying an hundred and odd chests of the detested tea. The people in the country roundabout, as well as the town's folk, were unanimous against allowi... The Bowman and Lion
A VERY SKILLFUL BOWMAN went to the mountains in search of game, but all the beasts of the forest fled at his approach. The Lion alone challenged him to combat. The Bowman immediately shot out an arrow and said to the Lion: "I send thee my messeng... The Box Of Robbers
No one intended to leave Martha alone that afternoon, but it happened that everyone was called away, for one reason or another. Mrs. McFarland was attending the weekly card party held by the Women's Anti-Gambling League. Sister Nell's young man ha... The Boy And The Dragon
Once, long ago, before the white man came to Canada, a boy was living with his parents in a village near the ocean. As he had no brothers or sisters, he was often lonely, and he longed for adventure and companionship. At last he decided t... The Boy and the Filberts
A BOY put his hand into a pitcher full of filberts. He grasped as many as he could possibly hold, but when he tried to pull out his hand, he was prevented from doing so by the neck of the pitcher. Unwilling to lose his filberts, and yet unable to ... The Boy and the Nettles
A BOY was stung by a Nettle. He ran home and told his Mother, saying, "Although it hurts me very much, I only touched it gently." "That was just why it stung you," said his Mother. "The next time you touch a Nettle, grasp it boldly, and it will b... The Boy And The Wolves Or The Broken Promise
A North American Indian story. Once upon a time an Indian hunter built himself a house in the middle of a great forest, far away from all his tribe; for his heart was gentle and kind, and he was weary of the treachery and cruel deeds of those wh... The Boy Bathing
A BOY bathing in a river was in danger of being drowned. He called out to a passing traveler for help, but instead of holding out a helping hand, the man stood by unconcernedly, and scolded the boy for his imprudence. "Oh, sir!" cried the youth, ... The Boy Hunting Locusts
A BOY was hunting for locusts. He had caught a goodly number, when he saw a Scorpion, and mistaking him for a locust, reached out his hand to take him. The Scorpion, showing his sting, said: If you had but touched me, my friend, you would have los... The Boy In The Land Of Shadows
Two orphan children, a boy and a girl, lived alone near the mountains. Their parents had long been dead and the children were left to look after themselves without any kindred upon the earth. The boy hunted all day long and provided much ... The Boy Of The Red Twilight Sky
Long ago there dwelt on the shores of the Great Water in the west a young man and his younger wife. They had no children and they lived all by themselves far from other people on an island not far from the coast. The man spent his time in... The Boy Who Became A Robin
AN OJIBBEWAY LEGEND BY HENRY R. SCHOOLCRAFT (ADAPTED) Once upon a time there was an old Indian who had an only son, whose name was Opeechee. The boy had come to the age when every Indian lad makes a long fast, in order to secure a Spirit to be ... The Boy Who Could Keep A Secret
Once upon a time there lived a poor widow who had one little boy. At first sight you would not have thought that he was different from a thousand other little boys; but then you noticed that by his side hung the scabbard of a sword, and as the boy g... The Boy Who Found Fear At Last
Once upon a time there lived a woman who had one son whom she loved dearly. The little cottage in which they dwelt was built on the outskirts of a forest, and as they had no neighbours, the place was very lonely, and the boy was kept at home by hi... The Boy Who Overcame The Giants
Once long ago, before the white man came to Canada, an orphan boy was living alone with his uncle. He was not very happy, for he had to work very hard, and tasks more fitted for a man's shoulders than for a boy's were often placed upon him. When h... The Boy Who Was Called Thick-head
Three brothers lived with their old Indian mother in the forest near the sea. Their father had long been dead. At his death he had little of the world's goods to his credit and his widow and her sons were very poor. In the place where the... The Boy Who Was Saved By Thoughts
A poor widow woman once lived near the sea in Eastern Canada. Her husband had been drowned catching fish one stormy day far off the coast, and her little boy was now her only means of support. He had no brothers or sisters, and he and his mother, ... The Boy Who Went To The North Wind
"Go you now to the safe and get some meal," said the mother of the Boy. "And mind that you carry it carefully, for there is but little left." So the Boy went to the safe to get the meal, but as he came back with it the North Wind blew it away, a... The Boyhood Of A Painter
If we are to believe the proverb, a 'Jack of all Trades is master of none,' and it is mostly true. But here and there even in our own day, we meet with some gifted person who seems to be able to do anything he desires, and during the periods of hi... The Boyhood Of Fionn
He was a king, a seer and a poet. He was a lord with a manifold and great train. He was our magician, our knowledgable one, our soothsayer. All that he did was sweet with him. And, however ye deem my testimony of Fionn excessive, and, although... The Boys and the Frogs
SOME BOYS, playing near a pond, saw a number of Frogs in the water and began to pelt them with stones. They killed several of them, when one of the Frogs, lifting his head out of the water, cried out: "Pray stop, my boys: what is sport to you, is... The Boys With The Golden Stars
Once upon a time what happened did happen: and if it had not happened, you would never have heard this story. Well, once upon a time there lived an emperor who had half a world all to himself to rule over, and in this world dwelt an old herd and... The Brahman Wife And Her Seven Sons
Once upon a time there was a town called Atpat. In it there lived a poor Brahman who used always to perform Shradh or memorial ceremonies to his father on the last day of the month of Shravan. When performing these ceremonies he always invited other... The Bramble-bush
A ring-dance imitation-play, the metrical portion of which is not without a little melody. The bramble-bush is often imaginative, but sometimes represented by a child in the centre of the ring. All join hands, and dance round in a circle, singing,--... The Brave Brown Sparrows In Winter
"You know," said daddy, "I saw such a strange thing to-day in the city." "Tell us about it," said Jack. "What was it?" asked Evelyn, who was always interested in whatever daddy had to say. "Well," continued daddy, "in a tree in the park ... The Brave Little Tailor
One summer's day a little tailor sat on his table by the window in the best of spirits, and sewed for dear life. As he was sitting thus a peasant woman came down the street, calling out: "Good jam to sell, good jam to sell." This sounded sweetly ... The Brave Men Of Calais
Many years ago, King Edward III of England took the town of Calais from the French king. He could not take it by force, for the walls were very strong, but he succeeded by another plan. He placed his soldiers all round the walls, and would let no ... The Brazier and His Dog
A BRAZIER had a little Dog, which was a great favorite with his master, and his constant companion. While he hammered away at his metals the Dog slept; but when, on the other hand, he went to dinner and began to eat, the Dog woke up and wagged his ... The Bremen Town Musicians
There was a man who owned a donkey, which had carried his sacks to the mill industriously for many years, but whose strength had come to an end, so that the poor beast grew more and more unfit for work. The master determined to stop his food, but ... The Bronze Ring
Once upon a time in a certain country there lived a king whose palace was surrounded by a spacious garden. But, though the gardeners were many and the soil was good, this garden yielded neither flowers nor fruits, not even grass or shady trees. ... The Brother and the Sister
A FATHER had one son and one daughter, the former remarkable for his good looks, the latter for her extraordinary ugliness. While they were playing one day as children, they happened by chance to look together into a mirror that was placed on their... The Brown Bear Of Norway
There was once a king in Ireland, and he had three daughters, and very nice princesses they were. And one day, when they and their father were walking on the lawn, the king began to joke with them, and to ask them whom they would like to be ma... The Brownie O' Ferne-den
There have been many Brownies known in Scotland; and stories have been written about the Brownie o' Bodsbeck and the Brownie o' Blednock, but about neither of them has a prettier story been told than that which I am going to tell you about the Bro... The Brownie Of Blednock
"There came a strange wight to our town en', An' the fient a body did him ken; He twirled na' lang, but he glided ben, Wi' a weary, dreary hum. His face did glow like the glow o' the West, When the drumly cloud had ... The Buffoon and the Countryman
A RICH NOBLEMAN once opened the theaters without charge to the people, and gave a public notice that he would handsomely reward any person who invented a new amusement for the occasion. Various public performers contended for the prize. Among them ... The Bull and the Calf
A BULL was striving with all his might to squeeze himself through a narrow passage which led to his stall. A young Calf came up, and offered to go before and show him the way by which he could manage to pass. "Save yourself the trouble," said the ... The Bull and the Goat
A BULL, escaping from a Lion, hid in a cave which some shepherds had recently occupied. As soon as he entered, a He-Goat left in the cave sharply attacked him with his horns. The Bull quietly addressed him: "Butt away as much as you will. I have... The Bull And The Goat
A Bull fled from a Lion and ran into a cave where a Goat lived. The Goat tried to stop his entrance, and struck at him with his horns. The Bull, though cross at this, did not butt at the Goat on the spot, but just said, "Do not think that I fear y... The Bull Of Norroway
[This is a modern version, taken down from recitation, of the very old tale of the Black Bull of Norroway, mentioned in the Complaynt of Scotland, 1548. It is here taken, by the author's kind permission, from the Popular Rhymes of Scotland, by Mr. R... The Bull, the Lioness, and the Wild-Boar Hunter
A BULL finding a lion's cub asleep gored him to death with his horns. The Lioness came up, and bitterly lamented the death of her whelp. A wild-boar Hunter, seeing her distress, stood at a distance and said to her, "Think how many men there are wh... The Bunyip
Long, long ago, far, far away on the other side of the world, some young men left the camp where they lived to get some food for their wives and children. The sun was hot, but they liked heat, and as they went they ran races and tried who could hu... The Bustard
The sluggish Bustard, in her foolish pate, Vexed with her young ones' awkward flight, Purposed to raise a brood more light, Even though 't were illegitimate. For this end many an egg she stole From Partridge, Pigeon and the K... The Busy Blue Jay
BY OLIVE THORNE MILLER (ADAPTED) One of the most interesting birds who ever lived in my Bird Room was a blue jay named Jakie. He was full of business from morning till night, scarcely ever a moment still. Poor little fellow! He had been stolen ... The Butterfly
In the time of the illustrious Merinous, it was indeed a pleasure to be a king; the laws were just, the people obedient, and peace was over the land. This monarch would have been the happiest of men, but for the continual complaints of his consort... The Butterfly
THERE was once a butterfly who wished for a bride; and, as may be supposed, he wanted to choose a very pretty one from among the flowers. He glanced with a very critical eye at all the flower beds and found that the flowers were seated quietly and... The Butterfly That Stamped
THIS, O my Best Beloved, is a story--a new and a wonderful story--a story quite different from the other stories--a story about The Most Wise Sovereign Suleiman-bin-Daoud--Solomon the Son of David. There are three hundred and fifty-five stori... The Camel
WHEN MAN first saw the Camel, he was so frightened at his vast size that he ran away. After a time, perceiving the meekness and gentleness of the beast's temper, he summoned courage enough to approach him. Soon afterwards, observing that he was an... The Camel and Jupiter
THE CAMEL, when he saw the Bull adorned with horns, envied him and wished that he himself could obtain the same honors. He went to Jupiter, and besought him to give him horns. Jupiter, vexed at his request because he was not satisfied with his siz... The Candle
Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: but I say unto you, That ye resist not evil. (Matt. v. 38, 39.) This happened in the days of slavery. There were then all kinds of masters. There w... The Canyon Flowers
BY RALPH CONNOR (ADAPTED) At first there were no canyons, but only the broad, open prairie. One day the Master of the Prairie, walking out over his great lawns, where were only grasses, asked the Prairie: "Where are your flowers?" And the Prair... The Capitalist
I always buy at the lollipop-shop, On the very first day of spring, A bag of marbles, a spinning-top, And a pocketful of string. ... The Capture Of Father Time
Jim was the son of a cowboy, and lived on the broad plains of Arizona. His father had trained him to lasso a bronco or a young bull with perfect accuracy, and had Jim possessed the strength to back up his skill he would have been as good a cowboy ... The Capture Of Fort Ticonderoga
BY WASHINGTON IRVING (ADAPTED) Some bold spirits in Connecticut conceived the project of surprising the old forts of Ticonderoga and Crown Point, already famous in the French War. Their situation on Lake Champlain gave them the command of the main... The Cardinal Bird And The Robin
"The cardinal bird," said daddy, "is a very superior bird and will not come down to the ground. The lowest he will come is to a bush, but he never hops along the woods or lawns, no, not he! "One day Robin Redbreast was walking on a green lawn. H... The Caribou Dance
<div> <img src="/images/i229.png" alt="Horns for the Caribou Dance" title="Horns for the Caribou Dance" height="400" width="340" /> Horns for the Caribou Dance </div> <p>The easiest of our campfire dances to learn, and the best for quick presentation, ... The Carl Of The Drab Coat
CHAPTER I One day something happened to Fionn, the son of Uail; that is, he departed from the world of men, and was set wandering in great distress of mind through Faery. He had days and nights there and adventures there, and was able to brin... The Casket
Thus passed the entire day. Rosalie suffered cruelly with thirst. "Ought I not suffer even more than I do?" she said to herself, "in order to punish me for all I have made my father and my cousin endure? I will await in this terrible spot the da... The Castle Of Gems
BY SOPHIE MAY Once upon a time, though I cannot tell when, and in what country I do not now remember, there lived a maiden as fair as a lily, as gentle as a dewdrop, and as modest as a violet. A pure, sweet name she had: It was Blanche. She ... The Castle Of Kerglas
Peronnik was a poor idiot who belonged to nobody, and he would have died of starvation if it had not been for the kindness of the village people, who gave him food whenever he chose to ask for it. And as for a bed, when night came, and he grew... The Cat and the Birds
A CAT, hearing that the Birds in a certain aviary were ailing dressed himself up as a physician, and, taking his cane and a bag of instruments becoming his profession, went to call on them. He knocked at the door and inquired of the inmates how the...