Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1870-11-30
THE HEDGE KING.
A STORY FOR LITTLE PEOPLE.

In Olden times every sound had mean
ing. The hammer of the smith cried as
he struck the anvil. 'tBeat it well 4!
beat it WE'LL" The carpenters plane
screamed, as it worked, "Shave It
sheerW And when the wheel of the
mill began to clatter, IL called, "Help
NV friendi help nv friendVD If the
miller was a cheat it would ask slowly.
"WhD is there ? who is there ?" an then
answer fast "The miller the miller :"
Presently it would cry, loud and quick,
"He steals well he steals well three
pecks from the bushelv ~
In those times the birds also had a
language which all understood, though
some chirped IL, sOme screamed or
whistlpd it, and with others it was mu-
sic, without words Now, they began
to think that they had been too long
without chief, and they resolved to
choose a king from among themselves.
The lapwing only was against it. "He
had lived free" he said, "and he would
die free" He flew hither and thither,
crying anxiously. "DOn't do it! don't
it :" and at last withdrew into a solitary
and unfrequented fen, and showed him
self no more among his former compan-
ions.
The others, however, assembled one
fine May morning, from every wood and
field, to settle the business. There came
the eagle and the chaffinch, the owl and
the crow, the lark and the Sparrow: and
even the cuckoo was there, with the
hOOpOe, his sacTistan Os-called because
he is always heard few days before the
other. A very little bird, which has no
name, was also seen in the thrOng. The
hoo Il rr0 0,tf ,Ff I,
of this great meeting won 1ered exceed
ingly; she went about cackling incess-
antly, "What, what, what is to do ?u
After some discussion it was resolved
that whichever should fly the highest
should be elected king, and that the
trial must be made that beautiful morn
ing, so that no one hereafter might be
able to say, 81 could have flown high
er, but night overlook me-"
At the appointed signal therefore, the
whole assembly mounted into the air.
The dust rose like a black cloud from
the earth, and there was heard amid it
a wonderful noise of mingled whizzing,
rushing and clapping of wings. The
samll birds were soon disheartened and
returned; and, of those who continued
their upward flight, none could equal the
eagle, who flew so high that he might
| have pecked at the sun. When he look
ed downward and saw himself so much
above all the others that his right to be
king could not be disputed, he began to
descend.
As he came near his rivals they hail
ed him, Thou art our king; none have
flown so high as thou"
Except mel" screamed the little fel-
low without a name, who had hidden
himself under the eagles breast feath-
eTs; and as he spoke, he spread his un-
tired wings, and ascended into the blue
air, until he nearly reached the gates of
heaven. Then folded close his plum
age, he sank down to the earth again.
crying, with his shrill voice, ~ am
king am king ~
''Thou are king" said the birds, ang-
rily; Through trick and cunning only
hast thou become sop and they deter
mined on another mode of election; he
should be king who could penetrate
deepest into the earth.
How the goose then clapped and rub
bed her broad breast against the ground:
and how quickly the cock scratched q
hole! The little one without a name.
however, sought mousehole, and slip
ping into, it screamed from within, II
am king am kingw
Thou our king ~ cried the birds, still
more angry than before. ttDost thou
think thy fraud will be endu-ed?"
Then they resolved to starve him in
his hole, and the owl was appointed SEN
tinel; his life was to pay the penalty Of
the rOgue's escape.
BY this time it was evening, and the
eXertiOns of the day having wearied
them all exceedingly, they retired with
their wives and children, leaving the
owl standing stiff at the entrance of the
mouse hole, with his great eyes staring
fixedly in. But soon he also felt tired,
and said to himself, 81 can surely take
nap with one eye, while the other
watches the william; he'll be safe enough. ?
And so he shut one and continued to
stare unblinkingly, at the hole with the
other. The prisoner peeped out, and
the sentinel was wide awake again
instantly, he made a step forward, in
went the head. Bnt when the owl once
more resumed his nap he forgot to leave
one eye open; he closed both and slept
soundly. The poor little fellow he
guarded slipped jOyfully away.
From that time the owl never dares
show himself by day; the other birds are
so enraged at his breach of duty that they
would tear every feather from him if
they caught him. He therefore never
stirs from home until dark, when he
goes out to catch mice, which he hates
because of their holes. Nor does the lit
tie bird willingly permit himself to be
seen; he also fears for his life. He slips
along the hedges; and sometimes when
so securely hidden that none can see him
or reach him, he cries: 'I am king I
am king :" and the great birds call him
in mOckery, the "Hedge King. Ger
1l1nt1 OnllnkesS 1rb,l- H1hn