The Canary Bird.
A small girl, named Caroline, had a most lovely canary bird. The little creature sung from morning till night, and was very beautiful. Its color was yellow, with a black head. And Caroline gave him seed and cabbage to eat, and occasionally a small piece of sugar, and every day fresh, clean water to drink.
But suddenly the bird began to be mournful, and one morning, when Caroline brought him his water, he lay dead in the cage.
And she raised a loud lamentation over the favorite animal, and wept bitterly. But the mother of the girl went and purchased another, which was more beautiful than the first in color, and just as lovely in its song, and put it in the cage.
But the child wept louder than ever when she saw the new bird.
And the mother was greatly astonished, and said, “My dear child, why are you still weeping and sorrowful? Your tears will not call the dead bird into life; and here you have one which is not inferior to the other!”
Then the child said, “O, dear mother, I treated my bird unkindly, and did not do all for it that I could and should have done.”
“Dear Lina, you have always taken care of it diligently!”
“O, no,” replied the child, “a short time before its death, the bird being very sick, you gave me a piece of sugar as medicine for it; but I did not give to him the piece of sugar, but ate it myself.” Thus spake the girl, with a sorrowful heart.
The mother did not smile at this complaint, for she understood and revered the holy voice of conscience in the heart of the child.
