sy said, "Come here, little lark, and I'll let you see a pretty
ring round my neck."

But the lark said, "No, no, gray pussy; no, no! You worried the little
mouse, but you shall not worry me."

Then the lark flew away till he came to a high oak-tree, and there he
saw a gray, greedy hawk sitting. And the gray, greedy hawk said,
"Where are you going, pretty lark?"

And the lark answered, "I am going to the king, to sing him a song this
fine May morning."

And the gray, greedy hawk said, "Come here, little lark, and I'll let
you see a pretty feather in my wing."

But the merry lark said, "No, no, gray, greedy hawk, no, no! You
pecked at the little linnet, but you shall not peck at me."

Then the lark flew away till he came to the side of a rock, and there
he saw a sly fox sitting. And the sly fox said, "Where are you going,
sweet lark?"

And the lark answered, "I am going to the king, to sing him a song this
fine May morning."

And the sly fox said, "Come, little lark, and I'll let you see a pretty
white spot on the tip of my tail."

But the lark said, "No, no, sly fox; no, no! You worried the little
lamb, but you shall not worry me."

Then the merry lark flew away till he came to the garden of the king;
and there he sat among the red clover blossoms and sang his sweetest
song.

And the king said to the queen, "What shall we do for this little lark
who has sung so sweet a song to us?"

And the queen said to the king, "I think we must have some May-day
games for the little lark, and invite robin redbreast to sing with him."

So the gay robin redbreast came and sang with the lark.

And the king and the queen and all the fine lords and ladies danced and
made merry while the little birds sang.

And after that the lark flew away home to his own green meadow, where
the old gray pussy-cat still lived among the tall reeds.

[1] Permission of American Book Company.

SAVED BY A LARK[1]

Little Helen was four years old. She lived in the country in a white
house with green window blinds. The house stood in a large yard, and
had pretty flowers in front of it and a row of big maple-trees on each
side.

Behind the house was an orchard, where the birds liked to build their
nests and sing their sweet songs. Helen had a swing between two large
apple-trees which stood a little way from the back door. She could
swing ever so high, and could almost touch the green apples on one of
the branches.

B