Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1909-10-26
REVENGEFUL COCK ROBIN.

Constantly Attacks Samaritan He
Suspects of Injuring Offspring.
Who killed cock robin in the Mother
Goose tale has long been answered by
the assassin himself; but out at Fort
Thomas some weeks ago, during the
robins nesting season, the stolid ST
lence maintained by the rascal who
almost killed cock robin led the saucy
father of the manned and dying bird
to suspect the Good Samaritan who
found the little nesting and rescued
him of being the cause of the birds
condition
The robin and his mate built nest
in the honeysuckle vine under the
caves Of the veranda, the Cincinnati
Commercial Tribune says, but being
young couple they did not build ex-
pertly. During a severe storm in
which much rain and more wind play
ed havoc, the nest in which were the
two nestlings became unfastened from
its mornings and one of the young
birds was thrown to the ground. 1t
fell about twelve feet and was lying
on the gravel walk, gasping for its
life in the pelting rain, when the Sa-
marian found it. It's featherless back
was skinned and bruised and the ants
had already attacked it for their
plumber. Touched with it's suffering,
the Samaritan intended to put it out
of it's misery, when he determined to
give it a try for life. He revived it
with hot water and creased its bruises
well Then, securing a ladder, he
fixed up the nest, and strengthening
it with sticks and twine put the little
bird back. The proceeding was long
and tedious, during which the mother
bird watched with ceaseless vigil, but
offered no remonstrance.
Before the birding was replace he
father, who had been ON foraging ex.
petition, returned with a luscious
worm. The sight of some one bother
ing his nest filled him with wrath, and
Immediately he demonstrated Be
fore attacking, however, he. unforget-
full of his husbandy, passed the worm
to his mate.
Then he started a series of swoop-
ing charges aimed at the head of the
birdling's rescuer. So vicious was the
robin that the man was forced to COW
er his head with his arms and yard
off the bird with a stick When he in
ished and descended from the ladder
the robins hurried to the nest and
the rescuer of the bird thought the
adventure ended; but not so with cock
robin
For six long weeks afterward, while
the birding was recuperating, the
father bird never left the nest, and
forced the mother to do all the forag-
ing. Every time the Samaritan put
his foot on that porch or lawn the
bird perceived him instantly and ut
tering cries of wrath and danger, new
err failed to swoop at him at full
fight. wheeling off just before collid-
ing with his head. Any other person
could go near the nest without being
molested, but the Samaritan never APP
peared without the robin attacking
him.
II he sat upon the porch, the robin
would strut before him on the lawn.
walking, not hopping, in an arc, and
at the slightest movement would dart
right at his eyes, swerving off when.
the man raised his arms to protect
his head Finally, the birding got
uyou apd learned tn f1y and the nest
was abandoned Ever since, however.
the robin never allows the Samaritan
to show himself without taking cogni-
zance of his appearance with antago-
nistic cries, though he has ceased to
fly at him in attack.