The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-09

the wire screen, little Donald
AAB stood before the enclosure at
w the Zoo in which were con-
hned the cranes-ash-g gray Australian
ones they were. Nurse had nodded
Off to sleep over her knitting on a
bench just across the pathway. But
for all Donald cared, she. or anyone
else for that matter, might as well
have been at the North Pole or SAIL
ing around on the China Sea. His
Whole attention was fixed upon the
big crane before him.
And well 1t might be, too, for he
was such queer, solemn-looking
bird! There he stood, almost like a
statue. balancing himself on one long.
slender, scaley leg as steadily and
| firmly as though he had been truly
carved in marble. The other leg was
drawn up under his feathers and DON
aid couldn't see it at all. Indeed if
the truth be told little Dom
aid didn't know he had another leg.
That was why he was looking at him
in such wide-eyed amazement.
The cranes long, thin neck was
doubled back upon his breast and his
ASNof PcAhNcu Jill was UeSllGQ COM
fortably among the silver-gray feath-
ers. Around the back of his head was
broad band of orange-striped feath-
ers which seemed to be fastened in
place at each side of his head with
two round gray patches. or buttons"
only his eyes moved. 5.f
And such queer eyes they were, too.
Round and black and shiny like shoe
ht,Nt
liant yellow. Every now and then he
would blink his eyes and look grave
ly and soberly at Donald and then
blink again and go on with his pom
derous thoughts. Altogether he was a
queer fellow indeed.
Just then, in solemn fashion, the
crane stretched his other leg out
from beneath his feathers and
scratched his head. carefully. precise
ly. with one long. scaley toe and as
gravely drew it back into its hiding
place-without ever once putting 1t to
the groundI
"Gee!" gasped little Donald.
"Ha! Ha! Hal" laughed tiny
squeaky voice beside him that Dom
aid recognized instantly as that of his
queer little fairy friend. the Old Man
of the Woods. "Ha-ha! So you didn't
think the crane had another leg, did
you, Donald?"
"Nun-no. Mr. Old Man." replied
the little boy. not yet completely over
his astonishment. "But-why doesn't
he stand on it?"
The Old Man of the Woods smiled
and rubbed his sharp. shiny little nose
refiectively. His legs were clothed in
garments fashioned of tufts of fur
from the brown bear and that of his
white brother of the Polar regions;
and he wore cloak made of hum
ming birds wings. Sticking straight
up from his funny bald head, one on
each side, were two tiny horns. He
carried in his right hand his Magic
Wand while in his left hand he held
his new winter cap made of squirrel
skin lined with eider-down.
"Hum- M m-m," mused the Old
Man. settling himself comfortably on
the railing against which Donald was
leaning. why doesn't he stand on it?
Well, Donald, that is a long story. l
might tell you that a crane always
stands on one leg-the left one, mind
you--in order to rest the other one!
Some people think that remark is very
funny. But 1t isn't true, Donald. least
wise not according to what l know
about cranes. It's a peculiar story,
Donald. but I'll tell it to you. II you
like.
well, back in the long. long ago
when the animals and the birds and
the snakes all lived together peace
fully in the Great Jungle and ruled
over them with my Magic Wand. the
Crane was known far and wide as the
LATEST sleepiest of them all. My.
what drone he was! Actually, Dom
aid, he would stand stock-still from \
SUNRISE to sunset and just stare and
blink and stare, as that one in front
Of us is doing now.
"If he had been thinking things
worth while. things that would have
helped the animals or even enter
tanned them, it wouldn't have been SO
bad. But. mind you,. he wouldn't
think anything at all! Like some
people, Donald. he made vast show
of looking wise and thoughtful when
he was merely stupid and dull and
lazy.