“I lifted all the weight of the net; you didn't help at all,” he cried.
That made the first quail angry, and before long all were drawn into the dispute. Then the fowler saw his chance. He imitated the cry of the quail and cast his net over those who came together. They were still boasting and quarreling, and they did not help one another lift the net. So the hunter lifted the net himself and crammed them into his basket. But the wise quail gathered his friends together and flew far away, for he knew that quarrels are the root of misfortune.
THE MAGPIE'S NEST
BY JOSEPH JACOBS
All the birds of the air came to the magpie and asked her to teach them how to build nests. For the magpie is the cleverest bird of all at building nests. So she put all the birds round her and began to show them how to do it. First of all she took some mud and made a sort of round cake with it.
“Oh, that's how it's done!” said the thrush, and away it flew; and so that's how thrushes build their nests.
Then the magpie took some twigs and arranged them round in the mud.
“Now I know all about it!” said the blackbird, and off it flew; and that's how the blackbirds make their nests to this very day.
Then the magpie put another layer of mud over the twigs.