one day, stole a nice bit of cheese,
And flew up in a tree to eat it at her ease.
A sly young Fox, who was passing below,
Saw her as she flew, and he said, "Oh, ho!
Madam Crow."

"What a fine bird you are, with your feathers so gay!
As brilliant as the rainbow, and fairer than the day.
If your voice is as sweet as your form would show,
Then sing me a song: pray don't say 'No,'
Madam Crow."

The crow began her song, when down fell the cheese:
The fox sprang and caught it as quickly as you please;
And as he trotted off, he said, "Oh, ho!
That is just what I wanted. I'll go,
Madam Crow."

ANNIE MOORE.

[Illustration: DRAWING-LESSON.]

[Illustration]

THE SWALLOWS AND THE ROBIN.

THE woods were showing autumn tints
Of crimson and of gold;
The sunny days were growing short,
The evenings long and cold:
So the swallows held a parliament,
And voted it was time
To bid farewell to northern skies,
And seek a warmer clime.

Southward with glad and rapid flight
They flew for many a mile,
Till in a quiet woodland glen
They stopped to rest a while:
A streamlet rippled in the dell;
And on a hawthorn-tree
A robin-redbreast sat alone,
And carolled merrily.

The wandering swallows listened,
And eagerly said they,
"O pretty bird! your notes are sweet:
Come, fly with us away.
We're following the sunshine,
For it is bright and warm:
We're leaving winter far behind
With all its cold and storm.

"The iron ground will yield no food,
The berries will be few;
Half-starved with hunger and with cold,
Poor bird, what will you do?"
"Nay, nay," said he, "when frost is hard,
And all the leaves are dead,
I know that kindly little hands
Will give me crumbs of bread."

C.

[Illustration: THE ENGLISH ROBIN.]

BIRDIE'S PIG STORY.

I TOLD my story first, as mammas usually do; and it was all