Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-10-13
THE BIRD, THE MOUSE, THE SAU.
SAGE, OR, LET WELL ENOUGH
AInNE

Once on a time, bird, mouse and a
sausage fell into company together, and
for long time kept house, living in great
peace and comfort, and increased their
wealth famously. 1t was the duty of the
bird to fetch wood, of the mouse to draw
water and make the fire, and of the sau-
sage to cook.
But they who are prosperous, are ever
hankeriDg after something new, and SO
one day the bird meeting another bird on
her way home, told him of her connec-
ton, and boosted very much; the other
bird, however, called her STOOL for labor
| ing so, for the other two lived at ease at
home, while she had to go out in all
westhers for the wood, while the mouse,
after she made the fire and got the water,
could retire to her chamber until it was
time to set the table, while the sausage
only stall by the fire and saw that
the food was well cooked, and when
dinner time approached dressed it
with gravy and vegetables" So
when the bird returned home and laid
down her burden, they sat down TO din
ner, and after their meal was finished
they slept till morning, but the bird had
been thinking over what the other bird
had said, and had become very discour-
aged; all the beauty of the life they had
been leading seemed dimmed, and she
felt as though she had the hardest lot OF
the three; so she said she wouldn't go fol-
the wood, she had been slave long enough,
and they must try some other plan. The
mouse and sausage tried to persuade hel
that things were best as they were, but
she wouldn't see it, and they tossed up
and it fell to the lot of the sausage to fetch
wood, the mouse to cook, and the bird Il
get water.
What happened? The sausage wen
out into the forest after the wood, the
bird made the fire, the mouse put on the
pot, and waited for the sausage to come
home and bring the wood for that day
but the sausage didn't come, and at las
the bird went to hunt her, and met nea
their house dog who had just eaten W
the sausage. The bird complained bitter
ly against him, but it was of no avail
the poor sausage was devoured.
The bird, full of grief, took up thu
wood on its back, and flew home to tel
the mouse what had happened both sh,
and the mouse were very sad, but agreed
to do their best and remain with eacI
other.
Now, the bird laid the table, and thu
mouse cooked their meal and, in order
to season it nicely, she got into the pot tC
stir the vegetables up and flavor then
nicely, like the sausage had been used tC
do; but alas! before she had scarcely
got in, her skin and hair came off, and
her life was sacrificed.
When the bird came to him, no cool
was TO be found, and he got into pet,
and called and searched high and low, but
no mouse could he find; 10 his careless
ness, he scattered some of the fire around
and it caught at last in the wood, and {
grand confagrstion commenced, so tina
the poor bird fastened to the brook TO
water, but, his pail falling in, he was car.
ried with it, and not being able to extri
cate himself, he sank to the bottom aud
so that happy household was broken up
because discontentment at their lot fell
upon one of them, and she would not lei
well enough alone, but tried to make gooC
| better.