"'Ahem!' I began. Whereupon some of the birds turned about and stared at me. 'My home is very far north of your country,' I said; 'but a good fairy has kindly given me permission to visit you all.'
"'Indeed,' exclaimed an old stork. 'How extraordinary! If you was a bird, now, it would not seem so strange.'
"'A bird brought me,—Mother Carey's chicken.'
"'Could you not find a better bearer than one of those fussy, bustling little bodies?' said a handsome egret scornfully.
"'Do not despise the petrel because she is not so strong and beautiful as yourself,' I replied.
"'Ha, ha!' laughed a macaw from his high perch. 'How fine it is to be a water-fowl, and have such long legs.'
"At this all the storks, herons, and egrets ruffled their plumes, and prepared for an angry dispute with the saucy macaw; but I hastened to interfere.
"'I should be sorry to make any trouble among you. If you would tell me any wonders to be seen here, or show me any of your homes, I should be greatly obliged.'
"A black nose was poked out of the water, and a turtle, in a shrill little voice, piped,—
"'Did you ever see us lay eggs? We shall be about it soon,' then sank out of sight again.