Mohave County miner., 1891-03-07
LEGENDS OF THE WREN.
Its Trick on mn Eskie Wins II Popularity
Among the frisb,

Its Trick on mn Eagle wins II Popularity
Among the irisis,
IN ireland the wren il called tho
king Of birds. One old legend among
the Irish, that dates ~ far back as tho
DAYS 81 the Drii6s, IL thus stated by
The Boston Globe.
OnGs upon time the eagle, always
proud OF his strength and value, called
all the birds together for a trial Of
flight; with this understanding that he
who scared the highest would forever
command the distinctive title Of liking
OF birds"
The eagle, by common consent, had
been invested with the honor from
time immemorial and he had no idea
OF giving IL up. but the better 10 Inn
press his superiority on all inferior
birds he called together the whole
fsathered tribe for this grand flying
tournament.
At the appointed time the birds came.
There were thrushcs; lirnets, n.agpiesi
crows, blackbirds, bluebirds, hawks,
doves robbins, sparrows nightingales,
larks, game birds from the forest.
seablrds from the coast and last Of all.
but rs noisy as any Of them, came the
turkeys. geese, ducks and hens from
the barnyardss
The eagle surveyed them all with his
piercing eyes. At some Of them he
cast a contemptuous glance, but when
he saw the sky lark he looked q little
uneasy. This was the only bird he
really feared, for the skylark can fly
very high. But his fears did not last
long, for just then he saw something
TO make him laugh. II was the little
wren hopping along saucily with his
jaunty little tail perkcd up with the
utmost assurance, One would think
he expected TO win the prize,
The eagle began TO poke fun at him,
and all the other birds joined in, so
that the poor little wren was glad 10
escape out Of sight,
When the signal was given for tR
birds 10 start he was nowhere TO be
seen, and II any one thought Of him at
all 1t WAS probably 10 conclude that he
had realized the folly OF his trying TO
compete with those 50 much stronger
than himself and had wisely gone home
TO his nest in the hedge.
At given signal away few the birds.
Up, up upl The wild goose did very
well, so did the hawk, and the skylark
kept close under the eagles big wings;
but one by one they had 10 give up, all
but tho proud old eagle. He kept on
soaring until he reached a point from
which he could not raise himself an
other inch.
Then he looked down proudly at all
the representatives Of the feathered
tribe below him, and they looked up
admiringly at him, when suddenly up
above him few a little dark speck. II
was a bird. and the Mortified eagle
looked up 10 see the despised little wren
lowering above him.
All the other birds saw him too, and
they set up a great shout. Then down
few the crestfallen eagle.
As the birds touched the ground they
looked for the wren, and they saw him
hop of the eagles back. He had been
nesting among the feathers, and the
big eagle did not feel his weight.
So il was that when the eagle and
the other birds had used up all their
strength he was able TO reach a point
higher than all Of them.
According to the letter OF the law
the wren was adjudged king Of birds, "
but. as one may suppose, the eagle was
very angry. He set TO work and
cursed the wren and laid a spell on
him so that he should never again be
able 10 fly over anything, and to this
day an Irish wren cannot even fly over
a hedge; he must find an opening In II
somewhere before he can pass from
one field or garden to another.
The druids treated the wren with
great distinction, but when christianity
was introduced into the country the
first christian missionaries, not above
superstition themselves, considered
their admiration a great offense. and
since then the poor little king has
sometimes had hard time OF 1t.