good story because it had a moral lesson in it and taught folks
to like the things they knew best how to do, and Mr. 'Possum said yes,
that might be so, but that the story couldn't be true, because none of
those animals would have enjoyed seeing that Fox leave them, but would
have persuaded him to stay and help them, and would have taught him to
do most of the work.

Then Mr. Robin spoke up and said that Mr. 'Possum thought everybody was
like himself, and that anyway Mr. 'Possum didn't need the lesson in that
story, for he already liked to do the things he could do best, which
were to eat and sleep and let other people do the work, though of course
he had been very good about getting the wood, lately, which certainly
was unusual.

Then Mr. 'Possum said he didn't see why Mr. Robin should speak in that
cross way when he had only meant to be kind and show him the mistake in
his story, so he could fix it right. And Mr. Rabbit said that as Mr.
'Possum seemed to know so much how stories and poems ought to be
written, perhaps he'd show now what he could do in that line himself.

Mr. 'Possum said he hadn't written anything because it was too much
trouble, but that he would tell them a story if they would like to hear
it--something that had really happened, because he had been there, and
was old enough to remember.

But before he began Mr. Robin said that as they had not cared much about
his story he would like to recite a few lines he had thought of, which
would perhaps explain how he felt, and all the animals said, "Of course,
go right on," and Mr. Robin bowed and recited a little poem he had made,
called

ONLY ME

_By C. Robin_

How came a little bird like me
A place in this fine group to win?
My mind is small--it has to be--
The little place I keep it in.
How came a little bird like me
To be here in the Hollow Tree?

When all the others know so much,
And are so strong and gifted too,
How can I dare to speak of such
As I can know, and think, and do?
How can a little bird like me
Belong here in the Hollow Tree?

[Illustration: MR. POSSUM SAID HE HADN'T MEANT ANYTHING AT ALL BY WHAT
HE HAD SAID ABOUT THE STORY]

Well, when Mr. Robin finished that, all the others spoke right up and
said that Mr. Robin must never write anything so sad as that again. They
said his story was just as good as it could be, and that Mr. Robin was
one of the smartest ones there; and Mr. 'Possum burst int