eedingly ugly.
Like my brother and sister, I had a big bald head and a tremendous beak,
while my wrinkled body was very small. I seemed to be all head, beak,
and claws. Yet I remember perfectly well hearing our parents say to the
many friends who came flying from all parts to offer them
congratulations that we were the three most beautiful children ever
born. I believe parents always think their children beautiful, and of
course no one is ever so impolite as to contradict them.

We were very hungry babies, and poor papa had very hard work to bring
home enough food to fill our three big beaks, which we kept wide open
from morning till night. Mamma was very particular that our food should
be of the most delicate kind, and papa often had to make long journeys
through the forest to gather seeds and berries. He was a very kind papa,
and if, as sometimes happened, he complained that his wings ached from
flying so much, and that we made so much noise he could not sleep, mamma
had only to call his attention to our rapid growth, and the beauty of
our soft gray feathers, to put him at once in the best of humor. "They
are magnificent children," he would say at such times, "and when they
grow up I shall do as well by them as my father has done by me." Little
did he think in those happy days that I, his eldest son, would soon be
lost to him forever.

Our life was indeed peaceful, although we were subject at times to some
anxiety from the attacks of certain wicked creatures which haunted the
shores of our beautiful river. I remember, as if it had taken place
yesterday, what happened one beautiful morning while papa had gone out
to find our breakfast. Mamma had nestled down with us, and had soothed
us into taking a little nap, when we were all startled by loud, shrill
cries. Mamma recognized papa's voice at once. She was naturally very
brave, and I think, to protect her children, she would have flown in the
face of a lion. She now rushed to the door of our nest, where she stood,
her feathers bristling, ready to give fight to whatever might try to
enter. As she filled the whole doorway with her spread wings, we could
not peep out to see what was the danger, although we stood on tiptoe and
tried with all our strength to push our heads through her feathers. She
gave us some smart taps with her claw, and ordered us back to the
interior of the nest; and when she at length told us in a frightened
whisper that papa was fighting with a feroc