IT is a bitter morning. The ground is white. Poor little Robin! The seeds and grains of corn he used to find about the doors are all covered up with snow. Hunger and cold make him tame, and he hops to the door-step, or to the windowsill, with his small shrunk feet and shiv-er ing legs. His meek eye seems to say, "Please to give me some break-fast." "Stop," said Peter, "I'll run for my trap, with the strings and horse-hair, and will try to catch him by the leg." "No, no," said little Mary, "don't fright-en him, poor fellow. Mama says that many would be thank-ful even for the crumbs we make when we cut the bread at tea-time. I'm sure Robin will be glad to get them." So she got a hand-ful of crumbs, and threw them out; and then she and her sister went back, that Robin might pick them up. Every morning while the storm lasted, Robin came for more crumbs. He seemed to have found a friend; and I am sure Mary felt happy at being kind even to a poor Robin-red-breast. Poor Robin! why should any of you try to catch him? Would it do you any good? When very young, I once saw a poor lark caught. It used to soar, singing and war-bling in the morning sun. A cruel boy put it into a cage, but the lark could not sing any longer. It sat cow-er-ing and silent in its prison, as if its little heart would break; and, oh, how glad it was when the cage door was opened, and it was al-lowed to fly away! Be kind to Robin-red-breast, and to all his brothers and sisters that sing among the branches. Their life and their lib-er-ty are as sweet to them as yours are to you. XXVI.-ROBIN-REDBREAST. PRETTY Robin-red-breast, Faith-ful Robin-red-breast! Though some have gayer coats, Some a sweeter song, You, Robin, stay with us All the winter long. Come then, sweet Robin-red-breast, Come nearer to the window, friend, For safely you may come; Script Exercise. Write 1st, The names of the months of the year. 2nd, The names of the articles of your clothing. |