ul robin redbreast.

He looked down on his father with pity in his eyes, and said:--

"Do not sorrow, O my father, I am no longer your boy, but Opeechee the
robin. I shall always be a friend to men, and live near their dwellings.
I shall ever be happy and content. Every day will I sing you songs of
joy. The mountains and fields yield me food. My pathway is in the bright
air."

Then Opeechee the robin stretched himself as if delighting in his new
wings, and caroling his sweetest song, he flew away to the near-by
trees.

THE TONGUE-CUT SPARROW

BY A. B. MITFORD (ADAPTED)

Once upon a time there lived a little old man and a little old woman.
The little old man had a kind heart, and he kept a young sparrow, which
he cared for tenderly. Every morning it used to sing at the door of his
house.

Now, the little old woman was a cross old thing, and one day when she
was going to starch her linen, the sparrow pecked at her paste. Then she
flew into a great rage and cut the sparrow's tongue and let the bird fly
away.

When the little old man came home from the hills, where he had been
chopping wood, he found the sparrow gone.

"Where is my little sparrow?" asked he.

"It pecked at my starching-paste," answered the little old woman, "so I
cut its evil tongue and let it fly away."

"Alas! Alas!" cried the little old man. "Poor thing! Poor thing! Poor
little tongue-cut sparrow! Where is your home now?"

And then he wandered far and wide seeking his pet and crying:--

"Mr. Sparrow, Mr. Sparrow, where are you living?"

And he wandered on and on, over mountain and valley, and dale and river,
until one day at the foot of a certain mountain he met the lost bird.
The little old man was filled with joy and the sparrow welcomed him with
its sweetest song.

It led the little old man to its nest-house, introduced him to its wife
and small sparrows, and set before him all sorts of good things to eat
and drink.

"Please partake of our humble fare," sang the sparrow; "poor as it is,
you are welcome."

"What a polite sparrow," answered the little old man, and he stayed for
a long time as the bird's guest. At last one day the little old man said
that he must take his leave and return home.

"Wait a bit," said the sparrow.

And it went into the house and brought out two wicker baskets. One was
very heavy and the other light.

"Take the one you wish," said the sparrow, "and good fortune go with
you."

"I am very fee