nd
playing, I should have escaped the danger of being caught by the cat,
and should not have been hurt by the kitten, besides which I think by
this time I might have made up my nest, and have been quite
comfortable again. She was hardly able to work, and what was far
worse, she felt very great reluctance to begin her laborious task,
so much harm had her living so long in indolence done her, as it does
to every one who indulges in it. Remember, my little Alfred, that
idleness is the root of all evil, as you may see in the case of
Downy:--now which do you think was the happiest and best,--careful and
industrious Downy making her house, and busily procuring food for
herself against the winter,--or careless idle Downy doing nothing but
playing and enjoying herself in the garden, eating the fruit, and
sleeping among the flowers? now tell me, which do you like best of the
two?" Alfred considered for a minute or two, and then said, "Why, dear
mamma, though I should have liked to have eaten the nice things in the
garden, and lived among the flowers, yet I see that it would have been
better for Downy if she had always remained in the field and worked
hard; but I am afraid I should have been as silly as Downy, and not
liked work."

"That is what I was afraid of, therefore, my dear child, I thought it
best to shew you how wrong she was in indulging herself in that
manner; and be assured that, whoever does so, will fall into
misfortune.

"Necessity obliged Downy at last to overcome her extreme reluctance to
work, and she once more began to look out for a proper place for her
new habitation; she visited all the green mounds in the meadow, but
alas! they were occupied by the ant, and poor Downy was quite out of
patience--and at last she was, though with reluctance, forced to take
up her lodgings in the side of the garden bank, quite at the farther
end, where no cats ever came, and at last, finding it was to her own
interest to work, she resolved not to be idle any more, and laboured
as hard as ever she had done, and soon completed her new dwelling,
having made it a most commodious habitation, in which she lived very
happily all the summer. When the harvest time arrived, then was Downy
very busy; she went into a neighbouring wheat field, and there she
made a good harvest for herself, and laid in a handsome store of grain
for her winter supply. In her journeys to the corn-fields she met many
mice, who, like her, were gathering in th