ey lived there, and fed on the frogs which they caught in their
long bills, and held up in the air for a moment, and then swallowed,
standing on one leg. The marsh was always damp, and there were always
plenty of frogs, and life went well for them, except that they saw
very little company. They had no one to pass the time of day with. For
Mr. Crane had built his little hut on one side of the marsh, and Miss
Heron had built hers on the other.

So it came into the head of Mr. Crane that it was dull work living
alone. If only I were married, he thought, there would be two of us to
drink our tea beside the samovar at night, and I should not spend my
evenings in melancholy, thinking only of frogs. I will go to see Miss
Heron, and I will offer to marry her.

So off he flew to the other side of the marsh, flap, flap, with his
legs hanging out behind, just as we saw him to-night. He came to the
other side of the marsh, and flew down to the hut of Miss Heron. He
tapped on the door with his long beak.

"Is Miss Heron at home?"

"At home," said Miss Heron.

"Will you marry me?" said Mr. Crane.

"Of course I won't," said Miss Heron; "your legs are long and
ill-shaped, and your coat is short, and you fly awkwardly, and you are
not even rich. You would have no dainties to feed me with. Off with
you, long-bodied one, and don't come bothering me."

She shut the door in his face.

Mr. Crane looked the fool he thought himself, and went off home,
wishing he had never made the journey.

But as soon as he was gone, Miss Heron, sitting alone in her hut,
began to think things over and to be sorry she had spoken in such a
hurry.

"After all," thinks she, "it is poor work living alone. And Mr. Crane,
in spite of what I said about his looks, is really a handsome enough
young fellow. Indeed at evening, when he stands on one leg, he is very
handsome indeed. Yes, I will go and marry him."

So off flew Miss Heron, flap, flap, over five miles of marsh, and came
to the hut of Mr. Crane.

"Is the master at home?"

"At home," said Mr. Crane.

"Ah, Mr. Crane," said Miss Heron, "I was chaffing you just now. When
shall we be married?"

"No, Miss Heron," said Mr. Crane; "I have no need of you at all. I do
not wish to marry, and I would not take you for my wife even if I
did. Clear out, and let me see the last of you." He shut the door.

Miss Heron wept tears of shame, that ran from her eyes down her long
bill and dropped one by one to