THE BROWN BIRDS.
"Well, well," he said to the birds, "if I cannot haul your hay for you, perhaps I may give you some hairs from my mane for your nest. I am sure I can't see what use they can be, but a bird in the pasture begged for some, and she said she was building a nest in the hedge."
"Chee, chee, cheeree. 'T is nice to line
A nest of hay with horsehair fine.
We're building in the maple tree,
And we are so happy, chee, chee, cheeree,"
chirped the birds.
By this time everybody in the barnyard knew that two brown birds were making a nest in the maple tree by the garden gate; and everybody wanted to help them.
"Take this with my love," called the pigeon; and she dropped a feather from her soft white breast, as she flew from the pigeon house.
"We, too, have feathers to spare," cried the hen and the goose.
"Every nest is the better for a bit of down," said the duck. "And I can give that."