``The very thing!'' said the sparrow, and off he
went; so sparrows make rather slovenly nests to
this day.
Well, then Madge magpie took some feathers
and stuff, and lined the nest very comfortably
with it.
``That suits me!'' cried the starling, and off it
flew; and very comfortable nests have starlings.
So it went on, every bird taking away some
knowledge of how to build nests, but none of them
waiting to the end.
Meanwhile Madge magpie went on working
and working without looking up, till the only bird
that remained was the turtle-dove, and that
hadn't paid any attention all along, but only
kept on saying its silly cry: ``Take two, Taffy,
take two-o-o-o!''
At last the magpie heard this just as she was
putting a twig across, so she said: ``One's enough.''
But the turtle-dove kept on saying: ``Take
two, Taffy, take two-o-o-o!''
Then the magpie got angry and said: ``One's
enough, I tell you!''
Still the turtle-dove cried: ``Take two, Taffy,
take two-o-o-o!''
At last, and at last, the magpie looked up and
saw nobody near her but the silly turtle-dove,
and then she got rarely angry and flew away and
refused to tell the birds how to build nests again.
And that is why different birds build their nests
differently.
THE GREEDY GEESE
FROM IL LIBRO D'ORO (ADAPTED)
Many years ago there was near the sea a convent
famed for the rich crops of grain that grew on its
farm.
Pages:
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338