vely, "Do you think you could stand it, little
worm? We shall see."

From that time the worm got bigger and uglier, no creature would even
talk to him. The birds seemed to fear him, and the Squirrels puffed out
little horror-snorts, when they saw him coming, even the other worms
kept away from him.

So he went on his lonely life, uglier and more hated than ever. He lived
chiefly on a big hickory tree, so men called him the Hickory Horn-devil.

One day as he was crawling on a fence, a hen with chickens came running
after him, to eat him. But when she saw how ugly he was she cried: "Oh,
Lawk, lawk! Come away, children, at once!"

At another time he saw a Chipmunk teaching its little ones to play tag.
They looked so bright and happy, he longed, not to join them because he
could only crawl, but to have the happiness of looking on. But when he
came slowly forward, and the old Chipmunk saw him waving his horns and
looking like a green poisonous reptile, she screamed, "Run, my
children!" and all darted into their hole while Mother Chipmunk stuffed
up the doorway with earth.

But the most thrilling thing of all that he saw was one day as the sun
went down, a winged being of dazzling beauty alighted for a moment on
his hickory tree. Never had the Horn-devil seen such a dream of
loveliness. Her slender body was clad in rose velvet, and her wings were
shining with gold. The very sight of her made him hate himself, yet he
could not resist the impulse to crawl nearer, to gaze at her beauty.

But her eyes rested a moment on his horrible shape, and she fled in
fear, while a voice near by said: "The Spangled Queen does not love
poisonous reptiles." Then the poor little Horn-devil wished he were
dead. He hid away from sight for three days. Hunger however forced him
out, and as he was crawling across a pathway, a man who came along was
going to crush him underfoot, but Mother Carey whispered, "No, don't do
it." So the man let him live, but roughly kicked the worm aside, and
bruised him fearfully.

Then came Mother Carey and said: "Well, little ugly worm! Is your spirit
strong, or angry?"

The worm said bravely, though feebly: "Mother, Mother Carey, I am trying
to be strong. I want to win."

The breezes were losing their gentle warmth when Mother Carey came to
him one day, and said: "Little one, your trial has been long, but it is
nearly over.

"Prepare to sleep now, my little horny one, you have fought a brave
fight; your re