Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-07-08
THE KING OF BIRDS.
How the Proud Title Was Earned-Storles
of the Wren.

Now, you think ! am going to tell
you about the eagle. Confess that you
do! "Of counsel" you say. 'Every
body knows that the eagle is the King
of birds. Do you think we are ounces"
No, don't think you are ounces;
but perhaps there may still be few
things that you do not know, though,
of course, it is only because
you have not had time to
learn them. And one of these
few things is that, according to ancient
story, the King of all birds is not the
mighty eagle, but-the wren!-the
tiny, chattering, brown wren, who
builds his pretty, little, round nest in
hedgerows and hayricks. l will tell
you the story as it was told by a
famous writer, many hundreds OF
years ago, and then you may believe
1t, or not, just as you like.
Once upon a time, then, all the birds
met together to choose a King, and
they decided that the one who could
soar the highest should be ruler over
all the feathered tribes. Up they all
sprang into the air, hawk and heron,
swallow and skylark, and every bird that
flies; up, up, up, till their wings were
weary and their hearts faint. But far
above all the rest flew the mighty
eagle, his broad wings bearing him up
like sails. When the other birds
paused, exhausted, he alone scared on
ward and upward; till at length, rest
ing on his outspread wings. at dizzy
height he screamed in triumph: 10
birds, behold your Kingr'
"Behold him, indeed!" cried tiny
voice at his ear. "But not in you,
clumsy fellow" And the wren, who
had been perched all the while. unseen
and unnoticed, on the eagles shoulder,
now boldly took flight, and twitted
and chirped from still greater height
while the weary eagle, unable to soar
higher, beat his broad wings in anger
and disappointment So the wren was
proclaimed King of all birds, and re-
mains so to this day; and it is very
pretty story, whether you believe it OF
not.
Now, let us look at this saucy little
King, and see what he is like. He is
about four inches long, of a rich red
dish-brown color; and he has saucy
little cocked-up tail, and knowing
black eyes, and very sweet voice,
which says very impudent things.
He is always gay and CHEEKY, and
sings as merrily on cold day as on q
warm one; this is a good point in any
King. He builds his own palace, and
a very fine one it is for its size, being
made very neatly of leaves, moss and
grass, and having always dome,
which covers it completely, the open
ing of the nest being always at the
side, King Wren prefers this domed
nest to any other; first, because it Ii
more lofty, and, second, because
it protects the royal eggs from colo
and rain. But sometimes he chooses
the strangest place for his nest A
wren's nest has been found in the body
of dead hawk, which had been killed
and nailed to the side of barn, t.
brighten other hawks.
Once a farmer had killed calf, ant
hung its body on tree. ct seems |
singular thing to hang calf on tree
as if he were horse-thief; but that i
the way l heard the story.) SOM
days after, when the farmer cut tn,
calf down in order TO cut it up, h,
found a wren's nest in its throat
Again, / have heard of little Queer
Wren, who made her nest inside
pump, and went in and out through
the spout to attend to her natural du
ties. what did she do when the,
were pumping waterp' Why, sup
pose she waited until they stopped
don't youP At least that's what Ishoul
have done in her case. When white
comes the little wrens are put to all sort
of shifts to keep themselves warm
Sometimes, in very cold weather, the
may be found all huddled togethe
in heaps, six or seven of them united
looking like masses of soft brow
feathers. Sometimes they get int
their summer nests. the whole family
parents and children, crowding. int
the little hollow under the dome.
Once a fine lady, who was very fon
of birds, and used to scatter crumt
for them in her garden every day
cold weather, happened to see part
of wrens go to bed; and this is no
they did it They gathered togeth,
on large branch of tree. about 70.
inches above which grew anoth,
branch. On the lower branch Il
wrens packed themselves comfortab
together, three or four deep, the to-
most bird always having his lit
brown back pressed against the upp'
branch as If to keep the whole pi
steady. The lady pitied the poo
shivering little creatures, and the ne
day she nailed to the branch squa
box, lined with flannel, with vel
small round hole by way of a doc
When the wrens came 70 90 to b
) they examined the box, and 500
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