You said I was too big."

"So you are, worse luck! But, of course, I can easily eat you in bits,
like this."

"It's not nice of you, seeing that you're my landlord," said the spider.
"But as I have seven legs left, I suppose I must forgive you."

"Do, dear friend," said the bladder-wort. "I must tell you, I am not
really master of myself when those flaps are meddled with. Then I have
to eat what is inside of them. So be careful next time!"

"You may be sure of that," said the spider. "One has to be cautious with
a fellow like you. Would you think it indiscreet if I asked you what my
leg tastes like?"

"Oh, well," said the bladder-wort, "there wasn't much on it. For that
matter, I've finished, in case you care to see what's left of it."

Just then the flap was opened, and a tiny little hard stump was flung
out into the water.

"Is that my leg?" asked the spider.

"Don't you recognise it?"

The bladder-wort laughed contentedly. The spider stood and looked at the
stump for a little while. Then she said good-night and limped sadly into
her parlour.

"Good-night," said the bladder-wort, pleasantly. "And good luck to your
hunting in the morning."

"I shall never survive this," said little Mrs. Reed-Warbler.

But, at that moment, she felt something alive under her:

"The children!" she screamed.

She was up on the edge of the nest in a second. On the opposite side sat
her husband, watching just as eagerly as she.

[Illustration]

One egg was quite in two and one of the others was burst. A wee, blind,
naked youngster lay in the nest; and from the other egg protruded the
dearest little leg of a chick.

"Did you ever see anything like it?" cried she. "Isn't it charming?"

"Delightful!" said he.

Then they began carefully to peck at the other eggs. And, inside, the
young chicks pecked with their little beaks and five minutes later,
they were all five out.

"Help me to clear up," she said.

Out flew the shells, on every side, down into the water.

"God bless you, kind lady!" cried Goody Cray-Fish from down below.

She was out for an evening stroll. But no one heard her. The
reed-warblers were mad with delight over their children and had no
thought for anything else in the world.

"What are you thinking of?" said the husband. "They'll perish with cold.
Sit on them at once!"

And she sat on them and covered them up and peeped at them every moment.

But he stayed up half the night, singing, on the top