Mr Plain Sparrow Calls On Ducks

: Daddy's Bedtime Bird Stories

"It was such a hot day yesterday," said daddy, "that Mr. Plain Sparrow

simply could not get cool. You see he never goes away in the winter and

so he gets used to really cold weather. On a day as hot as it was

yesterday he simply doesn't know what to do with himself. He called

himself Mr. Plain Sparrow because that was exactly what he was. He was

just a plain, ordinary sparrow, and he thought it such a wise thing to

cal himself that--and not put on any silly frills. He prided himself

on being sensible.



"'If there's anything in this world I hate,' he said, 'it's pretending

to be what a creature is not.' And so he called himself by the name of

Mr. Plain Sparrow, and his wife was Mrs. Plain Sparrow, and his

children were the Plain Sparrow Children.



"'I think,' he said, 'that I will take a walk or a fly to the duck pond

in the park nearby. Yes, it seems to me that's an excellent scheme. I

would like to see those ducks, for they're right smart creatures, and I

like to hear their funny quack-quack talk.'



"'What are you up to, ducks?' he called, as he flew over the pond, and

then perched on a small bush that was at one side.



"'We're well,' said the ducks. 'We're enjoying a cooling drink between

swims. Would you like to join us? It's just tea time.'



"'Tea time, eh?' said Mr. Plain Sparrow. 'And would you give a fellow a

good, fat worm in place of bread and butter and cake?'



"'Quack-quack! ha, ha!' laughed the ducks. 'We don't like bread and

butter and cake. But we can't get the worm for you just now, as we're

not very good at digging on such a hot day!'



"'Well, then, how about my digging for a couple of them, and then

joining all you nice ducks when you're ready to have your tea?'



"'Splendid idea,' quacked the ducks. And off went Mr. Plain Sparrow to a

soft place in the earth where he thought there would be some good worms.



"Pretty soon he came back with some fine ones, and he sat on his perch

and ate them, while the ducks nibbled at their food, and had drinks of

pond water, which they called tea. Mr. Plain Sparrow flew down and took

sips of water by the side of the pond, and in one very shallow place he

had some nice showerbaths while the ducks were having swims. And before

he left he told the ducks what a good time he had had, and how nice and

cool he felt.



"'Well, you're so friendly we're glad you came,' quacked the ducks once

again."