s in my way.

"I have a home up in the top of the cedar-tree. My nest is round and
firm. It is woven of sticks and grasses and lined with wool which I
myself pick from the sheep's back.

"We reline the old nest and repair it beautifully every housecleaning
time.

"My babies are good children, but they do not in fact look much like
me. Perhaps you might think them better looking than their parents.
They are black and white.

"Their mother says that the raven babies will outgrow the white
feathers soon. She declares that she and I had once as many white
feathers as our babies. It seems hard to believe, but perhaps she is
right.

"At any rate, they are my children and I do the best I can for them.
To me they are very dear, but I fear they will go through life as
unloved as I! Caw! Caw! Caw!"

The chicken-hawk ruffled his brown feathers carelessly. He drew in his
breath, making a whistling noise which to Phyllis, hiding so quietly
below, sounded quite like escaping steam.

"People do not like me either," said the hawk, shrugging his shoulders.
"But for all that I shall not sit and mourn.

"I know that my feathers are handsome. I know that I am a good husband
and father. I know that I can sail about in the air as gracefully as
any bird in the world.

"I sometimes eat insects, but I wonder, Mr. Raven, at your fondness for
corn and grain. You should try some of these small birds which are
flying about."

"I fear--" began the raven.

"Fear?" cried the hawk, striking out with his strong curved claws. "I
do not know what fear is! Look at my short curved bill! Look at my
sharp claws! Look at my long wings, which can carry me so swiftly and
so far!

"There is scarcely a bird of the air which does not fear me. They skim
out of sight at my approach.

"You should see me pounce upon young ducks. It is great fun.
Yesterday I was soaring above the pond, when I saw a whole family of
young ducks out for their first swim. Without a sound I dropped down,
seized one, and bore it off in my claws. I sat in the tree-top to eat
it. It was very tender, but also very small. I decided to have
another. This time the young ducks saw me. They dived head first into
the water.

"I laughed to myself. I knew that they would soon come up. When in
half a minute one appeared, I was quick enough to catch him.

"Later I carried a small chicken home to my nest in the big oak on the
hill yonder. My nest is a very s