The magpie was just putting a twig across, and she said, “No, one is enough.”
But the turtle-dove kept on saying, “Take two, Taffy, take two-o-o!”
That made the magpie angry, and she exclaimed, “One’s enough, I tell you!”
Still the turtle-dove cried, “Take two, Taffy, take two-o-o!”
At this the magpie became so disturbed that she flew away, and always afterward, when the birds asked her how to build their nests, she refused to tell them. That is why different birds build their nests differently.
PUSS IN BOOTS
ONCE upon a time there was a poor miller who had three sons, and when he died he had nothing to leave them except his mill, a donkey, and a cat. The division was quickly made without the help of either lawyer or judge. The eldest son took the mill, and the second took the donkey. So there was nothing left for the youngest but the cat, and the poor fellow could not help feeling that he had been treated shabbily. “My brothers will be able to earn a comfortable livelihood,” he sighed, “but as for me, though Puss may feed himself by catching mice, he can’t feed me, and I shall certainly die of hunger.”
While he spoke, the cat was sitting near by and heard all he said. Immediately the creature jumped on his shoulder, rubbed gently against his cheek, and began to speak. “Dear master,” said he, “do not grieve. I am not as useless as you think. Give me a bag, and buy me a pair of boots so I can scamper through the brush and brambles, and I will make your fortune for you.”
