Little Robins Learning to Fly Read online

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  MRS. LESLIE'S BOOKS FOR LITTLE CHILDREN.

  THE ROBIN REDBREAST SERIES.

  BOOKS WRITTEN OR EDITED By A. R. BAKER, AND SOLD BY ALL BOOKSELLERS.

  QUESTION BOOKS on the Topics of Christ's Sermon on the Mount. VOL. I. FOR CHILDREN. VOL. II. FOR YOUTH. VOL. III. FOR ADULTS. LECTURES ON THESE TOPICS, _in press_.

  MRS. LESLIE'S SABBATH SCHOOL BOOKS. TIM, THE SCISSORS GRINDER. SEQUEL TO "TIM, THE SCISSORS GRINDER." PRAIRIE FLOWER. THE BOUND BOY. THE BOUND GIRL. VIRGINIA. THE TWO HOMES; OR, EARNING AND SPENDING. THE ORGAN-GRINDER, _in press_.

  QUESTION BOOKS. The Catechism tested by the Bible. VOL. I. FOR CHILDREN. VOL. II. FOR ADULTS.

  THE DERMOTT FAMILY; or, Stories Illustrating the Catechism. VOL. I. DOCTRINES RESPECTING GOD AND MANKIND. " II. DOCTRINES OF GRACE. " III. COMMANDMENTS OF THE FIRST TABLE. " IV. COMMANDMENTS OF THE SECOND TABLE. " V. CONDITIONS OF ETERNAL LIFE.

  MRS. LESLIE'S HOME LIFE. VOL. I. CORA AND THE DOCTOR. " II. COURTESIES OF WEDDED LIFE. " III. THE HOUSEHOLD ANGEL.

  MRS. LESLIE'S JUVENILE SERIES. VOL. I. THE MOTHERLESS CHILDREN. " II. PLAY AND STUDY. " III. HOWARD AND HIS TEACHER. " IV. TRYING TO BE USEFUL. " V. JACK, THE CHIMNEY SWEEPER. " VI. THE YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER. " VII. LITTLE AGNES.

  THE LITTLE FRANKIE SERIES. LITTLE FRANKIE AND HIS MOTHER. LITTLE FRANKIE AT HIS PLAYS. LITTLE FRANKIE AND HIS COUSIN. LITTLE FRANKIE AND HIS FATHER. LITTLE FRANKIE ON A JOURNEY. LITTLE FRANKIE AT SCHOOL.

  THE ROBIN REDBREAST SERIES. THE ROBINS' NEST. LITTLE ROBINS IN THE NEST. LITTLE ROBINS LEARNING TO FLY. LITTLE ROBINS IN TROUBLE. LITTLE ROBINS' FRIENDS. LITTLE ROBINS' LOVE ONE TO ANOTHER.

  LITTLE ROBINS LEARNING TO FLY.]

  LITTLE ROBINS LEARNING TO FLY.

  BY MRS. MADELINE LESLIE,

  AUTHOR OF "THE HOME LIFE SERIES;" "MRS. LESLIE'S JUVENILE SERIES," ETC.

 

  BOSTON: CROSBY AND NICHOLS. 117 WASHINGTON STREET.

  Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1860, by A. R. BAKER, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts.

  ELECTROTYPED AT THE BOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY.

  LITTLE ROBINS LEARNING TO FLY.

  CHAPTER I.

  MR. ROBIN'S POOR COUSINS.

  Early one May morning, Fred Symmes was sent by his mother upon an errandto the next farm. He did not go around by the road, but jumped over thestone wall, and passed along through the pleasant orchard. As he camenear the pear tree, he saw a large robin flying back and forth from it,and stopping to look, soon discovered a nest in the fork formed by twoof the lower limbs.

  What was his surprise, as the robin flew toward the ground, to have italight on his arm! when he at once recognized it as Mr. Robin, who had awife and family in the elm tree near the cottage.

  "Why, what are you doing here this bright morning?" he asked, holdingout his finger, upon which the familiar bird readily perched.

  Mr. Robin cocked his head, turned up his bright eye, and tried toexplain. But as Fred did not seem to understand, and kept saying, "Ihope you have not forsaken your wife and little nestlings, prettybirdie," he alighted on the ground, picked up a worm, and flew awayinto the tree.

  Fred quickened his steps, did his errand at the farm, and on his return,found Mr. Robin had flown away. He climbed into a tree, from which hecould look into the nest. There he saw a female bird sheltering heryoung, who were feebly chirping as she partly rose to meet the intruder.

  She uttered a cry of distress, and began to flutter her wings; but Fredquickly slid down from the tree, and put an end to her alarm.

  When he reached home, both Mr. and Mrs. Robin were picking up crumbs atthe cottage door.

  "Grandpa," said he, when they were seated at breakfast, "I saw somethingvery funny this morning. I found our robin in a pear tree near Mr.Bacon's farm, feeding a whole nest full of birds."

  "Were they alone?" inquired Mr. Symmes.

  "No, father. The mother bird was there; and he fed her too."

  "I suppose the father has been killed," suggested the old gentleman. "Itis very cruel to kill birds when they have little families to take careof. But I have read many instances where birds have assisted each otherwhen in distress: where the male bird has been killed, one of hisneighbors has fed and assisted in rearing the young brood, at the sametime he attended to the wants of his own family."

  An hour or two later, grandpa sat in his arm chair under the shade ofthe graceful elm. Fred had brought his tools, and was converting a largewooden box into a playhouse for his little sister. Annie stood near him,her apron filled with small bits of broken china, which she called herdishes, and which she was waiting to arrange in her new cupboard.

  It was very warm; and the boy's forehead was wet with perspiration. Hedrew his jacket sleeve across his face, as he exclaimed, "There, Annie,your house is done."

  "Thank you, thank you, dear brother," cried the little girl, in anecstasy of delight. She emptied the bright-colored crockery on theground, and ran to the house for her dolly and two chairs; the latterher mother had made of pieces of smooth cornstalks, fastened togetherwith pins.

  "O, doesn't it look pretty, grandpa?" she asked, jumping up and down inher glee. "See Minnie sitting in her parlor. Now I'll set up my dishes.O dear!" she added, with a quick, appealing glance at her brother, "hownice it would be if I had a table!"

  "Well, some time I'll make you one," answered Fred, with a smile. "Andyou can put your dolly's cradle into the bedroom."

  "O yes," shouted Annie, with a cry of joy; and she ran away to fetch it.

  "I will help you make a table," said grandpa to Fred; "and I think wecan manage to put together a very pretty one between us."

  "I want to hear more about birds helping each other," said the boy. "Itseems so queer that they should know enough to do it."

  "It is a most interesting study," answered the old gentleman, "to watchthe character and habits of birds, and one which has engaged theattention of many learned men. There is no portion of God's creation inwhich his wisdom is more displayed than in the formation of birds. Eachand every variety are exactly fitted for the circumstances in which theyare to be placed. For instance, the eagle, who lives on high crags orrocks, almost inaccessible to man, has a short, strong beak, hooked atthe end, wings of immense strength, and claws large and sharp. He isgifted with extraordinary clearness of sight. Sitting on the summit ofa huge rock, or sailing around at a great height in the air, he discernshis prey. Sometimes it is a fish just below the surface of the water, ora lamb accidentally separated from its mother. He shoots down, down, andwith the speed, sure aim, and straightness of an arrow, pounces upon theprey, and carries it off in his strong talons."

  "How different from our pretty little robins!" exclaimed Fred.

  "Yes, the eagle is a bird of prey, and is formed accordingly. The robinlives upon grubs, insects, or seeds and fruit. It is not necessary,therefore, for him to be possessed of much strength. His beak is justfitted for the kind of labor he must perform in getting his food. It isslightly notched near the end. He is a very social bird, and isremarkable for the bravery with which he defends his young.

  Then there is the pelican of the wilderness, who is furnished with alarge pouch, joined to the lower part of his beak, in which he can carrya considerable quantity of food to his young."

  CHAPTER II.

  THE HEN HAWK.

  While grandpa and Fred were talking, they suddenly heard a loud cry ofdistress from the hen in the coop, quickly followed by the cluck, cluck,with which she summoned her chickens under her wings.

  Presently Mr. and Mrs. Robin seemed to partake of the fright. Sheuttered continual sharp cries, while her husband flew with quick,violent motions over his nest.

  Fred hastened toward the barn, and saw a large hawk sailing in the airabove them. He ran to call his father, who was, fortunately, near athand.

  "Bring my gun," said Mr. Symmes, taking down a flask of powder from ahigh shelf in the shed.

  "Now we'll soon bring him down," he continued, stationing himself atthe back door. He took his aim. Annie turned pale, and pressed her handsover her ears. Then came the report; and, true enough, the great, brownbird fell to the ground just in front of the hen-coop at which it hadbeen aiming.

  "That was a good shot," remarked grandpa, walking slowly to the place.

  "I seldom miss fire," said Mr. Symmes, with a look of honest pride. "Myhand is steady, and the gun is a faithful old fellow, that has servedhonorably in war, and has helped me to get rid of many an enemy."

  "O, father, see how it flutters! It is not quite dead."

  "Bring it here, child, and I'll put an end to its pain. We should alwaysavoid keeping any living being in misery." He wrung the hawk's neck,though Annie screamed, and then began to cry.

  "Why, sis, do you want our chickens and birdies all carried off?" askedFred. "This is a bad bird, and would have stolen them away if father hadnot killed it. Hark! there are the robins now sing
ing us a song to thankus for protecting them."

  They all stopped for a moment to listen, as the beautiful songsterswarbled forth their sweet strains, filling the air with their richmelody.

  "Do you suppose they really know what we have done for them?" inquiredthe boy.

  "Certainly I do," answered grandpa, "They made known their wants as wellas they were able, and in language that it was easy to understand. Thelittle nestlings knew at once, from the cries of their parents, thatthere was danger near, and joined in the notes of distress. Now, whiletheir father and mother sit quietly upon the bough singing their thanks,they feel sure the danger is past, and that no accident will happen tothem."

  "I'm sure the chickies knew," said Annie. "They ran in to their motheras quick as they could, and cuddled together under her wings."

  "They knew just as well," replied her father, "and understood herlanguage as quick as you would if your mother saw a great lion in theyard, and called you, 'Annie, come here! run quick into the house,or you will be killed!'?]"

  In the mean time, Fred had been examining the dead hawk, and nowexclaimed, "O, what a strong bird this is! I don't wonder smaller onesare afraid of it."

  "It is of the same family as the eagle and falcon," said grandpa,"though, as you see, its beak is very short, and bends gradually fromits base. It is naturally a ferocious bird, but is capable of strongaffection for those who treat it with kindness. In England, hawks wereformerly much prized, as they were trained to catch game of varioussorts, and sometimes became so tame that they would not only come whencalled, but they would bring home to their owner whatever they took intheir flight.

  "A hawk which was once owned by a gentleman in England, escaped from itsowner, after accompanying him on a hunting expedition, and flew hundredsof miles in the short space of about six hours. It alighted on a vesselbound for America from Europe, which was nearly midway on her passage,and was recognized by a silver ring on its leg, with the owner's nameengraved upon it."

  "Did it remain on board the vessel?" inquired Fred, earnestly.

  "For some days it did, my dear, and then it took its flight."

  "Do you suppose it could find its way back to its master?" asked Annie.

  "O, yes, as easily as the robins in the tree will find their way back toour farm when spring comes again," said grandpa with a smile.

  "The chickens are all out again now," said the little girl, running tothe coop.

  "Yes, indeed!" exclaimed her brother; "they have forgotten all abouttheir fright by this time. Grandpa, what would you do with this deadhawk?"

  "I would dig a hole in the ground and bury it, my dear."

  CHAPTER III.

  LEARNING TO FLY.

  The next morning, Fred was awakened earlier than usual by a loud andcontinued chirping in the robins' nest. He dressed himself quickly, andran to the window, where he saw Dick, the largest bird, sitting on theedge of the nest, while his father and mother were hopping from onebough to another, twittering incessantly, and trying to encourage himto try his wings.

  Fred was greatly excited, and ran to the stairs to call his sister, whoslept below in the room with her parents.

  This was indeed an important day in the robins' nest. Dick and Jack,Molly and Katy, were now fledged; and it was high time for them to beginto exercise a little.

  "Dick is the oldest, and must try his wings first," said Mr. Robin,firmly.

  "I dare not," answered Dick. "It makes me dizzy only to look down."

  "Don't stop to look, then," said his mother. "Spread out your wings andfly away. Try, and you will find it very easy. Here, see how I do it."She perched for a moment on the nest by his side, and then slowlyraising her wings, flew to the ground.

  "I know I shall kill myself," muttered the cowardly bird.

  "Let me fly," exclaimed Jack. "It looks easy when you do it."

  "It is easy," said his father. "It is only to make up your mind, 'I canfly if I will,' spread out your wings, and away you go. Dick, as you arethe oldest, the privilege of leaving the nest first is yours; but if youdo not start before I chirp three times, Jack may take your place."

  He then began, "Chirp, chirp, chirp;" but the foolish Dick did not move.

  His father was much displeased, and gave him a blow with his beak,pushing him back into the nest.

  "Come, my brave Jack," said his mother; "you shall show us how easilyyou can learn to fly."

  Poor Jack's heart beat strangely, as he saw how far it was to theground. His mother showed him how to move his wings, continuallyspreading them, flying a yard or two, and then returning.

  "I am a bird, and must learn some time," chirped Jack; "so here goes--"And shutting his eyes, he resolutely let go his hold of the nest, andcame down, rather awkwardly, to be sure, but still safely, upon theground.

  His mother instantly joined him. "Good Jack," said she, "I am proud ofyou;" and she repeatedly touched her beak to his.

  "I thought I was falling, falling," answered Jack; "and now that I amhere, I'm afraid I shall be obliged to stay, for it seems impossible toget back."

  "Here, take this worm, my dear," said his mother, "and then mount thatlittle bush."

  Jack did so, and found he could fly a short distance with perfect ease;indeed, he was delighted with the exercise, and, being quite pleasedwith his mother's praise of his conduct in showing more courage than hisbrother, he thought, "There was never a happier robin than I am!"

  "I will leave you," said Mrs. Robin, "for I see your father cannotpersuade Dick to venture. You may practise from the bush to the groundand back until I return. There is no danger," she added, as she sawJack turn his head quickly and gaze anxiously around. "All are friendsto us; even King, the great dog. And there he is now; so I will stay andintroduce you to him."

  King came walking into the yard, and Mrs. Robin hopped boldly up to him,calling Jack to follow her. She stopped when she was within a few feetof him, and began talking in a loud twitter, every now and then turningher bright eye round upon the young bird.

  "Bow, wow, wow!" barked the dog, in such a loud roar that Jack shook allover. But King seemed to understand that Mrs. Robin had asked hisinterest in her young fledgling, and he was quite ready to do his part.He walked a step or two forward, and then lay down to survey the newcomer at his leisure.

  At this minute, Annie came running to the door with an apron full ofcrumbs. Her face was glowing with pleasure, and her voice was so kindand cheerful, as she called out, "Birdie, birdie, pretty birdie," thatJack felt acquainted at once.

  Mrs. Robin caught one crumb, swallowed it, and then, with a glance ofaffection at Jack, returned to her duties in the tree.

  The little robin hopped up nearer, and began picking up the bread, everand anon cocking his funny little head, and chirping pleasantly, as ifto thank her for her care. Then he returned to the bush, and flew up anddown, up and down, while Annie laughed, and shouted, and clapped herhands, and called him the smartest bird she ever knew.

  CHAPTER IV.

  GETTING WORMS.

  "Come, Dick," said Mrs. Robin, in an encouraging tone, after she hadrelated Jack's delight at his success. "Come, now, or your littlesisters will learn to fly before you do."

  "I don't feel at all afraid," chirped Katy; "now Jack has learned, Iknow I can."

  "That is right, my dear," said her mother. "But come, Dick, your fatheris getting impatient."

  Dick reluctantly hopped up on the side of the nest.

  "Now," said Mr. Robin, "I will give you one more chance to retrieve yourcharacter. Spread your wings and fly away, or be content to remain inthe nest without food. For I will no longer feed so disobedient andobstinate a bird."

  Mrs. Robin hopped from branch to branch uneasily, while her husband wasspeaking. She would not be guilty of the impropriety of interruptinghim; but she feared he was making a threat his parental affection wouldnot allow him to execute. "O, I'm sure Dick will try to be as brave ashis brother!" she said; "look, how he is enjoying himself, picking hisfill, and chirping to the dear little girl!"