And lo and behold! Colonel Claw was at work with a whole host of birds, destroying the insects that eat out the life of the flowers. Such a chattering you never did hear, for they sang and talked as they worked.
A host of Warblers was destroying plant-lice, canker-worms, and caterpillars.
Catbirds were waging warfare against grasshoppers, beetles, and other insects.
Swallows were flying hither and thither in search of insects, and catching their prey on the wing; and each as he passed a friend or a brother cried out:
“Hurry up, there is work to be done!”
The Flickers were ridding the garden of ants, and gaily they worked and well.
And Sparrows were eating the seeds of the weeds, so that none might escape to grow up and choke out the flowers.
All the birds helped in the work, and destroyed all the harmful insects and weed seeds.
And this army of birds had just got to work when the gardener appeared on the scene. He came much earlier than usual; and he fed and watered the plants; and he weeded and spaded and hoed; and not a single plant was neglected.
And early each morning Colonel Claw marshalled his army of birds to do battle against the plants’ enemies.