piece of grass are all they have given me for the whole world which I had outside. Each little blade of grass shall be a green tree for me, each one of your white rays a fragrant flower. Oh! you only make me think of what I have lost."

"I wish I could comfort the poor lark?" thought the daisy; but it could not move a leaf. The fragrance from its leaves was much stronger than is often found in these flowers, and the bird liked it so much that, though he was dying with thirst, and in his pain tore up the green blades of grass, he did not touch the flower.

The evening came; but no one brought the poor bird a drop of water. Then he opened his beautiful wings and beat the air with them in his pain; a low and sad "Peep, peep" was all he could say ; his little head bent down toward the flower, and the bird's heart broke with want and longing. Then the flower could not fold up its rays and sleep as it had done the evening before; it drooped sick and sorrowful.

Not till morning did the boys come, and when they saw the dead bird they began to cry bitterly. They dug a nice grave for him and made it pretty with flowers. They put the dead bird into a pretty red box, for he was to be buried like a king. While he was alive and sang, they

forgot him and let him suffer want in the cage; now they cried over him and covered him with flowers.

The piece of turf with the little daisy in it was thrown out into the road. No one thought of the flower that had felt so much for the bird and had wished so much to comfort him.

HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN.

WHO STOLE THE BIRD'S NEST?

"To-whit! to-whit! to-whee!
Will you listen to me?

66

Who stole four eggs I laid,
And the nice nest I made?"

Not I," said the the cow,
Such a thing I'd never do.
I gave you a wisp of hay,

"Moo-oo!

But didn't take your nest away.
Not I," said the cow, "Moo-oo!
Such a thing I'd never do."

"To-whit! to-whit! to-whee!
Will you listen to me?
Who stole four eggs I laid,
And the nice nest I made?"

Now what do you think?
Who stole a nest away
From the plum-tree to-day?"

"Not I," said the dog, "Bow-wow!
I wouldn't be so mean, anyhow!
I gave the hairs the nest to make,
But the nest I did not take.
Not I," said the dog, "Bow-wow!
I'm not so mean, anyhow."

"To-whit! to-whit! to-whee!
Will you listen to me?
Who stole four eggs I laid,
And the nice nest I made?"

"Coo-coo! Coo-coo! Coo-coo
Let me speak a word, too!
Who stole that pretty nest
From little yellow-breast?"

"Not I," said the sheep; "oh, no!
I wouldn't treat a poor bird so.
I gave wool the nest to line,
But the nest was none of mine.
Baa! Baa!" said the sheep; "oh, no
I wouldn't treat a poor bird so."

"Caw! Caw!" cried the crow;

"I should like to know What thief took away

A bird's nest to-day?"

"Cluck! Cluck!" said the hen;

"Don't ask me again,

Why, I haven't a chick

Would do such a trick.

We all gave her a feather, And she wove them together. I'd scorn to intrude

On her and her brood.

Cluck! Cluck!" said the hen, "Don't ask me again."

"Chirr-a-whirr! Chirr-a-whirr !
All the birds make a stir!
Let us find out his name,
And all cry, 'for shame!''

"I would not rob a bird,” Said little Mary Green; "I think I never heard Of anything so mean."

"It is very cruel, too,"

Said little Alice Neal; "I wonder if he knew

How sad the bird would feel?"

A little boy hung down his head,
And went and hid behind the bed,
For he stole that pretty nest
From poor little yellow-breast;
And he felt so full of shame,
He didn't like to tell his name.

LYDIA MARIA CHILD.