03

THE SNOWBIRDS

Once upon a time, Jack Frost went to visit Sammy Scare Crow.

Sammy Scare Crow lived in a field, near the King's castle.

Jack Frost wore a coat trimmed with icicles.

His hair was white, like the snow.

He looked like a snowman.

Sammy Scare Crow was made of straw.

His hat and coat were very old and badly torn.

Sammy Scare Crow's pockets were always filled with grains of rye.

The four and twenty Blackbirds liked the grains of rye.

They would hop into Sammy Scare Crow's pockets for the rye.

Then they would perch upon his shoulders and sing.

When Jack Frost came to the field, the Blackbirds flew away.

“ Where have they gone? ” he asked.

“ You have frightened them away with your cold breath, ” said Sammy.

“ They have gone to the King's castle, where it is nice and warm. ”

“ How long will they stay there? ”

“ I do not know. There is the Maid in the garden, hanging out the clothes. Perhaps she can tell you. ”

“ How do you do, Maid! ” called Jack Frost. “ Will you tell me what happened to the four and twenty Blackbirds? ”

“ I baked them in a pie. ”

“ Did you open the pie? ”

“ Yes, I did, and —

‘ When the pie was opened,

The birds began to sing. ’”

“ Was the King frightened when the birds began to sing? ”

“ Oh, no, indeed! The King only laughed and asked, ‘ Where is the Queen? ’ I told him, ‘ the Queen is in the parlor, Eating bread and honey. ’

I went into the parlor. I told the Queen that the King had a surprise for her.

The Queen went to the counting house and asked, ‘ Have you a surprise for me? ’

The King showed the pie to the Queen.

The Queen said,

‘ Wasn't that a dainty dish,

To set before a King? ’”

At that moment the four and twenty Blackbirds flew away from the King's castle.

“ Ha, ha! ” laughed Jack Frost. “ Now is my chance to turn them into Snowbirds. ”

So Jack Frost said, “ Blow, North Wind, blow. ”

The North Wind blew so hard that the Blackbirds turned white.

They were changed into Snowbirds.

All were changed but one little bird.

When he saw his brothers changed into Snowbirds, he was very angry.

He thought that the Maid had sent the cold North Wind. So, —

“ Down came the blackbird

And nipped off her nose. ”