CROW.

I.

Jimmy Crow belongs to Jack.

Jack is a little [boy]. Jimmy is a big [crow]. Jack wears a white
[suit]. Jimmy wears black [feathers]. Jack says "Good Morning," and
"Yes, sir," and "Thank you." Jimmy can say only "Caw, caw." Jack
thinks Jimmy is a funnier pet than a [cat] or a [dog].

One day, last summer, Jack was picking low [berries] in the pasture,
when he saw a young [crow] hopping in the bushes. The little crow was
lame in one [leg]. He had fallen from the [nest]. He was too young to
fly far, so [Jack] caught him. He carried him home in his
berry-[basket]. Then Jack took a [hammer] and [nails] and [wood] and
built a [cage]. He named his new pet "Jimmy Crow."

Jack took good care of Jimmy Crow. He caught [crickets] for him to
eat, and gave him fresh water in a tin [cup]. Jimmy's lame leg soon got
well. His [wings] grew big, and he could fly. When Jack called, Jimmy
would fly to him and perch on his [hand] or [head].

Jimmy Crow liked mischief. He liked to hide things and see people hunt
for them. Once when Jack was getting ready for school, he could not
find his [top]. He hunted till Mama said he must put on his rubber
[boots] and be off. One of those boots would not go on. There was
something in the toe. [Jack] held it up and shook it, and out
fell--the top! [Jimmy Crow] flapped his [wings] and cried "Caw, caw!"
That was his way of laughing. Jack laughed too, as he took his [books]
and [hat] and hurried off. [Edith Francis Foster]

[THE CHRISTMAS CANDLES]

JIMMY CROW.

II.

Grandma lives at Jack's [house]. She has a bird, too. Grandma's bird
is a green [parrot]. The parrot's name is "Pepper." [Jack] loves
[Grandma], but Jack's crow does not love Grandma's parrot.

Pepper can talk like a [man], mew like a [cat], bark like a [dog]. She
can cry and laugh. When Jimmy says "Caw, caw!" Pepper says "C-a-w,
c-a-w!" and then laughs. [Jimmy crow] doesn't like to be laughed at.
Once he flew at Pepper, and pushed her off her [perch]. But Pepper
scratched him with her [talons] and pulled out a tail-feather with her
[beak]. Now Jimmy keeps away from her, unless he wants to steal her
[crackers].

On Christmas Eve [children] came to Jack's Tree. Mama had trimmed it
with [popcorn] and [candles], and hung [presents] everywhere. When she
went with a [match] to light the candles, they were gone! "Where are
the candles?" cried [Mama]. "Somebody has carried them off, and I
can't light the [C