this shelter."

The dove remained silent. Like Cordelia in the play she could not speak
untruths even for her own happiness.

"Truly, you are an unamiable guest," snarled the owl, his yellow eyes
growing keen and fierce with anger and mortified pride. "You are an
ungrateful bird, Miss, and the bat is right. You do not deserve this
generous hospitality which I have offered, this goodly shelter which you
asked. Away with you! Leave my dwelling! Pack off into the storm and see
whether or not your silence will soothe the rain and the wind. Be off, I
say!"

"Yes, away with her!" echoed the bat, flapping his leathery wings.

And the two heartless creatures fell upon the poor little dove and drove
her out into the dark and stormy night.

Poor little dove! All night she was tossed and beaten about shelterless
in the storm, because she had been too truthful to flatter the vain old
owl. But when the bright morning dawned, draggled and weary as she was,
she flew to the court of King Eagle and told him all her trouble. Great
was the indignation of that noble bird.

"For his flattery and his cruelty let the bat never presume to fly
abroad until the sun goes down," he cried. "As for the owl, I have
already doomed him to this punishment for his treatment of the wren. But
henceforth let no bird have anything to do with either of them, the
bat or the owl. Let them be outcasts and night-prowlers, enemies to be
attacked and punished if they appear among us, to be avoided by all in
their loneliness. Flattery and inhospitality, deceit and cruelty,--what
are more hideous than these? Let them cover themselves in darkness and
shun the happy light of day.

"As for you, little dove, let this be a lesson to you to shun the
company of flatterers, who are sure to get you into trouble. But you
shall always be loved for your simplicity and truth. And as a token
of our affection your name shall be used by poets as long as the world
shall last to rhyme with LOVE."

THE BUSY BLUE JAY

BY OLIVE THORNE MILLER (ADAPTED)

One of the most interesting birds who ever lived in my Bird Room was a
blue jay named Jakie. He was full of business from morning till night,
scarcely ever a moment still.

Poor little fellow! He had been stolen from the nest before he could
fly, and reared in a house, long before he was given to me. Of course he
could not be set free, for he did not know how to take care of himself.

Jays are very active birds, and be