A Full Moon’s Beautiful Lady!

PUTRI BALAN BEGAN TO LAUGH

 When the moon is round and full, if you look very carefully at the golden disk you can see in shadowy outline the profile of a beautiful lady. She is leaning forward as if looking down upon our earth, and there is a little smile upon her sweet lips. This fair dame is Putri Balan, the Princess of the Moon, and she smiles because she remembers how once upon a time she cheated old Mr. Owl, her tiresome lover.

From the Story “THE OWL AND THE MOON.”

The Curious Book of Birds.

Written by Abbie Farwell Brown.

Illustrations by E. Boyd Smith.

Houghton, Mifflin & Company: Boston & New York. 1903.

The New King of Birdland!

“BLESS ME!” HE EXCLAIMED, “WHOM HAVE WE HERE?”

. . . The Stork looked up in surprise as the wonderful stranger approached.

“Bless me!” he exclaimed, “whom have we here? I thought I knew all Birdland, but I never before saw such a freak as this!”

“I am the King. I am to be the new King,” announced the Crow. “Is there any bird more gorgeous than I?”

The Curious Book of Birds.

Written by Abbie Farwell Brown.

Illustrations by E. Boyd Smith.

Houghton, Mifflin & Company: Boston & New York. 1903.

Don’t You Remember? I’m Your Sister!

“O Brother, don’t!”

Now the Crocodile was so surprised at hearing the Hen call him Brother that he kept his jaws wide open and forgot to swallow his dinner. He kept them open for some time, gaping foolishly, wondering what the Hen could mean, and how he could possibly be her brother. And by the time he had remembered how hungry he was, there was nothing for him to eat. For the Hen had skipped away just as fast as her feet would take her.

The Curious Book of Birds.

Written by Abbie Farwell Brown.

Illustrations by E. Boyd Smith.

Houghton, Mifflin & Company: Boston & New York. 1903.

The Sorrow of Being Late!

SUCH A GORGEOUS COAT!

“O Father!” he panted, “I am late. But I was so busy! Pray forgive me and permit me to have a pretty coat like the others.”

“You are late indeed,” said the Father reproachfully, “and all the coloring has been done. You should have come when I bade you. Do you not know that it is the prompt bird who fares best? My rainbow color-box has been generously used, and I have but little of each tint left. Yet I will paint you with the colors that I have, and if the result be ill you have only yourself to blame.”

“The Father smiled gently as He took up the brush which He had laid down, and dipped it in the first color which came to hand. This He used until there was no more, when He began with another shade, and so continued until the Goldfinch was completely colored from head to foot. Such a gorgeous coat! His forehead and throat were of the most brilliant crimson. His cap and sailor collar were black. His back was brown and yellow, his breast white, his wings golden set off with velvet black, and his tail was black with white-tipped feathers. Certainly there was no danger of his being mistaken for any other bird.

When the Goldfinch looked down into a pool and saw the reflection of his gorgeous coat, he burst out into a song of joy. “I like it, oh I like it!” he warbled, and his song was very sweet. “Oh, I am glad that I was late, indeed I am, dear Father!”

But the kind Father sighed and shook His head as He put away the brush, exclaiming, “Poor little Goldfinch! You are indeed a beautiful bird. But I fear that the gorgeous coat which you wear, and which is the best that I could give you, because you came so late, will cause you more sorrow than joy. Because of it you will be chased and captured and kept in captivity; and your life will be spent in mourning for the days when you were a plain gray bird.”

The Curious Book of Birds.

Written by Abbie Farwell Brown.

Illustrations by E. Boyd Smith.

Houghton, Mifflin & Company: Boston & New York. 1903.

Was She Lonely?

Mr. Stork and Miss Heron

. . . “a nice dry house which I should be glad to have you share with me. Come, Miss Heron!  Here I am a lonely old bachelor, and here you are a lonely old maid” –

“Lonely old maid, indeed!” screamed the Heron interrupting him.  “I don’t know what it is to be lonely.  Go along with you!” and she splashed water on him with her wings, she was so indignant.

Poor Mr. Stork felt very crestfallen at this reception of his well-meaning invitation.  He turned about and stalked away towards the nest upon the roof, without so much as saying good-by to the lady.

But no sooner was he out of sight than Miss Heron began to think.  He had said that she was lonely; was she lonely?  Well, perhaps he ought to know better than she, for he was a very wise bird.  Perhaps she was lonely, now that she came to think of it.  However, there was no reason why she should go to live in that stupid, dry, old nest on the house-top.  Why could he not come to dwell in her lovely, mushy-squshy, wady-shady swamp?  That would be pleasant, for he was a good sort of fellow with nice long legs; and there were fish enough in the water for two.  Besides, he could then do the fishing for the family; and, moreover, there would then be two to admire her reflection in the water.  Yes; her mind was made up.  She would invite him.  She glanced down at her reflection and settled some of the feathers which her fit of temper had ruffled out of order.  Then off she started in pursuit of Mr. Stork.

The Curious Book of Birds.

Written by Abbie Farwell Brown.

Illustrations by E. Boyd Smith.

Houghton, Mifflin & Company: Boston & New York. 1903.