flew.

On the borders of a wood he spied some scattered grains of wheat. He
was hungry and saw no reason why he should not pick them up. As he flew
down, a snare was drawn about him. The wheat had been put there to
tempt pigeons so that they might get caught. It was well for
Blue-feather that the snare had been in use a long time and was rotten.
By using his beak and wings he got loose, but he lost a few feathers
out of his pretty coat.

A hawk saw him as he rose. Blue-feather was dragging a piece of the
string which he could not loosen from his leg. The hawk was about to
seize him. It seemed as if there was no help for him. But just at that
moment an eagle caught the hawk and carried him off.

Blue-feather flew as fast as he could to a high fence, where he stopped
to rest. He thought his dangers were over. He was very homesick.

While Blue-feather was sitting on the fence, a boy saw him. He nearly
killed the poor bird with a shot from his sling.

Blue-feather was just able to fly. His leg was lame, and one wing was
hurt, but he steered straight for home.

Late at night he arrived at his own dovecote, tired and hungry, but
happy to be safe at home again. He found White-coat waiting for him.

White-coat smoothed his poor brother's feathers, nestled close to him,
and soothed him with his coo! coo! coo!

THE HORSE AND THE WOLF

A horse, in the early spring, was turned into a pasture of fresh grass.
He was enjoying himself very much when a hungry wolf spied him. The
horse did not see the wolf.

The wolf said, "I want that horse. I have not had a good meal for a
month. He is so big that I can not catch him as I would a sheep. I
shall have to play a trick." So he lay down on the ground and thought
how he could deceive the horse and then catch him.

"I have it," he said at last. "I will be a doctor. The horse is sound
and well, but I will make him think that he needs a doctor; then I
shall tell him that I can cure him." The wolf smacked his lips as he
thought of the meal he would soon have.

He marched into the pasture in a very business-like way. Going right up
to the horse, he said:

"Good morning, my dear sir. This is fine grass you are eating and a
beautiful morning to be out. I am sorry to see you looking so poorly
this bright day. I happen to be a doctor. As you know, a good doctor
can tell at sight when one is sick. If you were well, you would not
have been turned out to pasture. You know that t