Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1882-01-24
The Little BlrissHest

The private counsellor$of Treuhold
possessed q beautiful cOunfxy seat In 8
very pleasant region OCCASIONALLY ht
came from his town residence to enjoy
the country air for several 6hys
When the spring camey for the frs
time he took his two little sons with him
Both were delighted withsthe country
The large garden near the house, the
srccE 4s..Gs, aud blooming meadows en-
rsptured them but above everything
the adjacent woods of oak, birches, and
alder pleased them. Both boys revived
to new life.
One day their father went with them
into the woods. and showed them q lit.
tie birds nest. The pretty nest and the
five tender little birds delighted them
extremely.
Their father thereupon seated himself
with the two boys under an old oak tree
near the edge of the forest.
Il will tell you about q little birds
nest, he said, and think you will find
the narrative very wonderful. It hap.
pened in this neighborhood
Both boys were very Eager to hear the
story, and the father began:
On beautiful morning in spring, g.
bout forty years aso, under this same
tree, sat a poor boy, and tended his
sheep. At the same time he read in 8
little book, and was so absorbed in hii
reading that he scarcely looked up. DC
casiorally he hastily glanced at his
sheep. As he happened to look up ~ ain
there stood q beautiful young noble man
before him, dressed in suit of green and
gold. He was the crown prince, who
was then not yet ten years old but the
shepherd boy did not know him ht
thought that the friendly young boy
was related to the forester, who often
came on business to the castle.
Good morning, young MASTER said
the shepherd boy, and took off his hat
but put it right on again. Can I dc
anything for your
''Teli me- said the prince, whether
there are any birds nests around here.
That is strange question for young
forester to ask. said the bog. DO YOU
not hear the birds singing? Certainly
there are plenty of pe-ts here. Every
bird has his nest
Well then you surely know where
there is nest said the prince, kindly
oh, a beautiful nest, said the boy
the prettiest that have ever seen. 1t
il woven SO neatly. out of yellow straw
and covered on the outside with moss
and there are five little eggs in it,
That is splendid said the prince
Come and show me the pretty little nest
/ am 30 anxious to see it,
L can believe that, said the boy, but
I will not show it to you.'
You are not to do 1t for nothing. ]
will surely reward YOU
"That may well be-, said the boy, but
l will not show yOu.'
At this moment the instructor Of the
prince came nearer, venerable man,
whom the shepherd boy had not yet no.
ticed,
Don't be i'll n-tured, boy,' he said
the young master has never In his life
seen . birds nest, but he has read oi
them. He has long wished to see one.
Please him this much, and show him
one. He won't take it away from you.
He only wants to see it. He won't even
touch it,
The boy stood up, took OF his hat
without replacing it, utshook his head
and said:
1t il as I said; cannot show the
nest
That is very unkind,' said the tutor.
1t should be pleasure to you to make
others happy-above all, our young
prince
rs the young master our prince 2 ex.
claimed the boy, and bowed very low.
II am glad to become acquainted with
him. But the nest would no show him
even if 1t were the sovereign himself.
The prince, out of patience, cried:
Such an obstinate boy have never
seen. We may find means to compel
him.
Never mind that. PRINCE said the
tutor. He, also, was displeased at the
steady refusal of the boy. He said to
him, therefore:
Little boy, only tell me one thing =
Why will you not show US the nest
Then we will 20 on and leave you alone
If YOU have good reason, which seems
hardly possible, tell u.s.
'O,' said the boy, I can tell you that
Michael, the boy who watches the gosX
up yonder on the mountain, showed
me- the est, and promised him to show
no one else.' :,
well, that makes a difference said
the tutor. He Intended to try the hon
esty of the boy, WHICH pleased him very
much, still more. He took out his purse
and said:
See here Is a piece ofgold- tits youri
if ,n, shaw us the rest Y"u need MOI