FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   >>  
ea-dove is most happy, because it is then that the waves are laden with small fish and crabs. During stormy weather the little fisherman grows fat. "Watch them as they fly. Do you see how they are constantly dipping their bills into the water? That is their way of fishing. "The sea-doves' nests are among the cliffs. In them they lay just two bluish-white little eggs. "Sometimes, when the winds are very strong, the sea-doves are blown far inland. Sometimes they find their way back to the sea. But there are other times when they do not return." "And where is your own nest, O Great Blue Heron?" asked Phyllis, half laughing at the queer, long-legged bird. "It is over yonder on a rock," said the heron. "There are now four dull blue-green eggs in the nest. "Soon there will be four ugly, helpless birdlings, who will sit up and cry for food. It will be at least three weeks after they are hatched before they will try to wade out into these flat sea-marshes. I shall have to let no fish escape me, if I do not wish the fledglings to starve." "You do not think your babies pretty?" asked Phyllis. "No," said the heron, truthfully, "they are not even so good-looking as other birds' babies. But that I do not mind, for will they not some day be as beautiful as I myself?" "Yes," said Phyllis, "I have seen your picture many a time. In mother's room is a large screen and on it is your likeness embroidered in silks. The long green grasses are growing about you in the picture. One foot is drawn up and your head is drawn down between your shoulders just as it now is." "That is the way to rest," said the heron. "What were you doing here?" Phyllis asked, wading a little closer to the long-legged bird. "I was fishing," said the great blue heron. "It is the one thing I delight in. From morning till night--" "My brother Jack--" began Phyllis, but the bird paid no attention. "I sometimes stand here perfectly still for hours. I wait patiently for the fish or the frogs to appear. "Then I strike suddenly with my strong, sharp bill. I snap up the fish or frog and give it a knock or two to kill it. "Then I eat it. If it is a fish I swallow it, head first, so that the scales shall not scratch my throat. "But see, Phyllis, the sun has set, and I have not yet had my supper. I really must leave you!" Then the great blue heron rose slowly and silently and circled away over the flat sea-marshes. Baref
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   >>  



Top keywords:

Phyllis

 

strong

 

Sometimes

 
legged
 

fishing

 
babies
 

marshes

 

picture

 

likeness

 

screen


embroidered

 

mother

 

delight

 

shoulders

 

grasses

 
closer
 

wading

 

growing

 
scratch
 

scales


throat

 

swallow

 

silently

 

slowly

 

circled

 

supper

 

attention

 
brother
 

morning

 

beautiful


perfectly
 

suddenly

 
strike
 

patiently

 

bluish

 

cliffs

 
return
 

inland

 

dipping

 

During


stormy

 

constantly

 

weather

 

fisherman

 
fledglings
 

starve

 

escape

 
pretty
 

truthfully

 

yonder