ll ever catch me
napping."

"You cannot help yourself," said the Blindworm. "You cannot keep awake.
You will drowse in spite of everything. I shall yet find you asleep some
night, and then beware!"

"Nay, nay!" warbled the Nightingale, as she flew away to make herself
fine for the wedding. "I shall sing, sing, sing night and day henceforth
to keep myself awake. And thus I need not fear. Farewell-well-well!"

And so the Nightingale went to the wedding and sang more sweetly in the
bridal chorus than she had ever sung before. And after that, although
she was weary, oh, so weary! she sang all night long, and all the next
night and the next. And so she has continued to sing ever since in the
lands which are blessed by her presence. For she dares not go to sleep
even for a single moment, knowing that the Blindworm is ever ready to
pounce upon her and take away the eyes which she is now enjoying.

MRS. PARTRIDGE'S BABIES

Long, long ago, when the world was very young indeed, the Birds and
Animals used to send their children to school, to Mother Magpie's
kindergarten. All the morning long the babies learned their lessons
which it was needful for them to know. And when the noon hour came their
various mammas came to the school bringing lunches for the children. You
can imagine how gladly they were received by the hungry little scholars.

One day Mrs. Partridge was very busy with her house-cleaning, and when
the noontime came she could not leave her work to go to the school with
her babies' lunch.

"Dear me," she said, looking out of the nest, "here it is noon and the
little Partridges will be so very hungry. But I really cannot leave home
now. What shall I do? If only some other mamma were going that way."

She craned her neck and looked eagerly in every direction. And finally
she spied Madame Tortoise plodding along towards the school, with the
lunch for her little Turtlets.

"Oho, neighbor, oho! Stop a minute!" cried Mrs. Partridge, waving a wing
at Tortoise. "Are you going schoolward, as I think? Oh, dear Madame
Tortoise, if you knew how busy I am to-day. I don't think any one was
ever so busy as I am with my house-cleaning. Will you do me a favor,
please?"

The Tortoise sniffed. "Well, I am a busy woman myself," she said, "but I
am willing to oblige a neighbor. What is it you wish, ma'am?"

"Oh, thank you so much!" cried the Partridge. "Dear Madame Tortoise, I
shall never forget your kindness. Now, will