By and by an eagle that was flying far overhead saw the child in the mother’s lap. He flew down, caught up the child in his strong claws, and carried it away to his nest in a great oak tree.
A hunter saw the eagle flying towards the oak tree. He thought that he saw something strange in the eagle’s claws. He waited until the eagle had laid the child in his nest. Then the hunter fired his gun. The noise frightened the eagle away.
Climbing the tree, the hunter found the little baby lying in the eagle’s nest. He took the little one in his strong arms and carried it home with him. He had but one child—a little daughter whose name was Lena.
When he brought the little one home he said, “Here is a little sister for you, Lena. We will call her Birdie because I found her in an eagle’s nest.” Lena was glad to see the baby girl, and kissed her. The two children played and ate and slept together. They grew to love each other so much that, if they were parted for even a little while, they felt lonely and sad.
Suggestions.
Talk about the hunter and hunting wild animals.
II.
Preparation.
The cook in the hunter’s home did not like Birdie. Recall characters in preceding part of story. Talk about work of the cook and the idea—housekeeper.