id the reed-warbler.

"He had not one," said the perch. "He was the worst robber in the pond."

"He never did anything to me," said the water-lily. "He was a brave and
distinguished gentleman, who hadn't his equal among the lot of you. It
was always a real pleasure to me when he came sweeping past my stalks."

"Well, I have seen many go sweeping down his throat," said the eel. "And
they did not think that so amusing. But he did just what I should have
done in his place! Now that he's gone, I suppose I'm the biggest in the
pond."

He stretched himself to his full length.

"You have grown big and stout," said the reed-warbler.

"I have had a good year," said the eel. "But I shall soon be going to
sea now and working off my fat."

On the evening of the same day a man stood at the edge of the pond, just
where the reed-warblers lived. He wore high boots with wooden soles and
whetted a scythe till the sound of it whizzed through the air.

"What's going to happen now?" said Mrs. Reed-Warbler.

"Quack! Quack!" cried the duck in terror.

But the man spat on his hands and took hold of the scythe. Then he
walked out into the water and began to cut down the reeds, close in, at
the edge, and right out, as far as they grew. They fell into the water,
with a soft sigh; and then, when he had finished, he stood on the bank
and contemplated his work.

"That was a fine clearing," he said. "Duck-hunting begins to-morrow."

[Illustration]

Then he went a bit farther with his scythe and made another clearing.

But he had caused terrible misfortunes. He had torn the water-spider's
nest and crushed the spider herself. He had broken the bladder-wort at
the root with his heavy wooden boots. And the reed-warblers' nest lay
overturned among the cut reeds.

The reed-warblers flew round the nest with loud screams:

"The children! The children!" they cried.

The children had saved themselves. Four had fluttered on land and sat
there and looked thoroughly bewildered. The fifth was half-buried under
the reeds and could not get out.

The two old ones with difficulty brought it in to the others:

"Oh dear! oh dear!" said little Mrs. Reed-Warbler, in despair. "What are
we to do now?"

"It might have been worse," replied her husband. "Suppose it had
happened a month ago! Now the youngsters are able to look after
themselves, all except that one there."

"Oh, it was a terrible place to come to!" said she. "It was a great
shame of you