rs and sisters. We all found
ourselves outside our shells one fine, sunny day in spring; but we felt
chilly, and were glad to nestle under the wings of the kind old hen whom
we regarded as our mother.

In a day or two, we began to look about the world. We found that it
comprised a pretty lawn, on which our mansion was placed, with a brick
wall at one end of it. The other end of the world was at the foot of the
lawn, and consisted of a level expanse as smooth as a sheet of glass.

Our mansion was formed of wood, with a high pointed roof, and with open
bars in front, through which we could look out and enjoy the prospect.
We could crawl under the bars easily; but mother-hen could not.

One day a great, strong giant came and lifted up our mansion right over
our heads. This giant had two legs, but no wings. Poor thing! They
called him a _little boy_. He frightened us very much at first; but as
he fed us, and called us, "Ducky, ducky!" we soon grew fond of him.

When the boy had lifted up our mansion (which he called a coop),
mother-hen started at once on a journey round the world. We stopped to
pick up some bits of grain, and some little worms, which we found.
"Cluck, cluck!" said mother-hen, which means, "Come, come!" and we all
said, "Quack, quack!" which means, "Yes, yes!"

On we went, threading our way through the forest of grass; and our ideas
were much enlarged by finding that the world comprised a vast farm-yard
as well as our lawn, and the distant glass-like boundary. On we went,
"Cluck, cluck! quack, quack!" and at last found ourselves close to the
smooth expanse, which we learned was called a _pond_, and composed of a
beautiful liquid called "water."

Into this pond my brothers and sisters dashed, and of course I followed.
How delicious! The water was cool and refreshing, and so buoyant, that
we moved about on it more easily than we could walk on the land; but,
when we looked back to the bank, we saw mother-hen calling out in grief
and dread, "Cluck, cluck! come, come! you'll drown, drown! Oh, oh!"

[Illustration]

"All right!" said my eldest brother; "no fear: here we are as jolly as
sandboys! You may as well come. It's capital. Here goes for a dive!"
And, so saying, under he went, and soon came up again, laughing,
"Quack, quack! oh, it's _so_ jolly!"

But poor mother-hen did not see any thing jolly about it, and was always
in fear when we went to the pond, into which she would never go herself.

In ti