The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-05-16
TUE CHILDREN'S HOUR.
WHAT THE WILLOW TREE TOLD
THE SPARROW.

''Why do you weep, dear Willow
Tree" chirruped the Sparrow one day
as it lowered over the dropping
branches of the tree. "The storm is
over and the sun is beginning to
smile on the world once again"
"Ah!" sighed the Willow Tree,
which dwelt near field of corn and
buckwheat, "You do not know of the
calamity that has overtaken one of
our neighbors."
Pray" continued the Sparrow
looking concerned, tell me about it.
Is some one unwell-or-or-wh
ever happened?"
"Oh!" continued the Willow, big
drops of sorrow falling from it's
leaves, tits about the buckwheat."
Dear! dear!" replied the Sparrow,
turning it's head to look at the field
of buckwheat. "Oh!" it continued
with a start, cts quite black, as if it
had been burnt"
"Yes," said the Willow, shaking it's
head "And 1 will tell you why and
wherefore, so that it may be warn
ing to YOU"
The Sparrow flew down and alight-
ed on the branches of the Willow and
crept quite close to the trunk of the
tree.
"You know, of course" began the
Willow, that the corn lives next door
to the buckwheat?"
eyes," chirruped the Sparrow, 81
am aware of that"
well, our friend the corn is al
ways happy and contented, and CRATE
full, too, for the fuller its ears are the
lower it bends as if in humble graft
tude."
81 have noticed that" said the
Sparrow, shaking it's head thought
fully.
"The buckwheat, however, has al
ways been conceited and proud" con-
tinued the Willow Tree. "And al
ways held it's head erect"
"I have as many golden ears as
the corn it used to say. And I am
far prettier. My flowers are as love-
ly as apple-blossom. Have you ever
seen anything more lovely than I am,
Willow Tree?'
"Of course, I only nodded and
swayed my branches, when the buck
wheat said this to me.
"'Stupid tree the buckwheat
would reply, you are so old that grass
is growing out of your body!"
"Of course, these words hurt me
very much," whispered the Willow
Tree, "but 1 never complained"
"How very cruel Of the buckwheat
to say that" said the Sparrow, gently
swaying to and fro on the willow
branch.
Last night, as you know" said
the Willow, "a great storm arose. ALI
the flowers of the field folded their
petals and bent down their little
heads. The buckwheat alone stood
erect and proud.
"Close your flowers and fold in
your leaves 1 whispered. DO not
look up at the lightning, for you will
see right into heaven; even men are
blinded when they look there, and
what would become of us, who are
but weeds of the ground, if we dared
to do SOP"
"'Weeds of the ground?,' exclaimed
the buckwheat scornfully. I will look
up into heaven itself if wish to-
"In it's pride it looked upward. For
a moment the whole world seemed to
be in flames, and when the storm had
passed, and the flowers looked up
and the corn waved in the breeze, the
buckwheat lay on the ground with
cred and charred as you see it now.
"Ah, how sad" whispered the Spar
row. st shall remember this all the
days of my life," and it few away
home to bird-land to tell all the Other
little sparrows of what had happened
so as it would be warning to all moi
to be proudful and vain, but Away;
to be humble and kind towards 9th
ers.