20　A BIRD’S STORY
小鸟的故事

I

Would you like to hear me tell a story? I will tell you where I live, what I do, and what I see.

My little round house is up in a tree. It has no doors, no upstairs, and no downstairs.

“Oh, oh!” I hear you say. “We think your house must be all upstairs, for it is a long way up in the tree.”

But you see I do not go up any stairs to get to my house. I fly into it when I have been out.

I always go home early, and never sit up late at night. That is not good for me any more than it is good for boys and girls.

II

I go out very early in the morning to look for something to eat.

That is the best time to find worms, which I like very much.

Now and then I find a few crumbs which some kind little boy or girl has put out for me.

As I fly about, I see all kinds of things and people.

I see horses, cows, sheep, dogs, and rabbits in the fields. I see people going to work, and children going to school.

You like to go out for a walk, but I go out for a fly. How queer it would be if you were to fly home from school!

I should not like to meet you up in the air. But I know I shall not, for you have no wings.

I can fly over the houses, over the trees, and over the hills and far away.

I cannot stay to tell you any more now. I must fly home to my nest.

一

你想听我说故事吗？我来给你说一说我生活的地方、我的工作和我的所见所闻。

我那圆圆的小屋子建在树上，没有门，也没有楼梯。

我听到你说：“那可不好！你的房子一定悬在高空，因为它建在树上。”

但是你看，我用不着爬楼梯，用飞就可以了。

我一般很早就回家，晚上也不熬夜。那样的习惯对我和你这样的小朋友来说都不好。

二

早晨我很早就出门找吃的。

那是抓虫子的最佳时间，而我很喜欢吃虫子。

有时我也会得到小朋友给的面包屑。

我到处飞来飞去，可以见到各种各样的人和事。

我在田野上见过马、牛、羊、狗和兔子，还常看到去工作的人们和去上学的孩子。

你们喜欢出去散步，我则喜欢出去飞一飞。要是你从学校飞回家，那该多奇怪！

我可不想在天上遇到你们。其实那也是不可能的，因为你们没有翅膀。

我可以在屋顶、树梢、小山上空飞翔，可以飞到很远的地方去。

好了，就说到这吧。我要飞回我的家了。