The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1916-04-07
BEDTIME STORIES
FOR LITTLE
FOLKS
WHY CANARiES ARE YELLOW.

! VI I'll vi lHe ldlIitS
Hush, dearies,' whispered the fairy
queen. as she stepped out of tail
lily Father is sick and | fear very
ill.," All the birds ceased their songs
I'VE will do anything we can" they
all said, in flutter. Tell us what
will help him"
Father is 10000 years old" said the
queen. and only young man yet but
he has nervous trouble with his
heart He has always kept his medi
cine by his side, but the last bottle
fell and broke last night, so he feels
wretchedly today. There is plenty of
it in the yellow spring, but that is in
a dark cavern guarded by a three
headed dragon, so | fear to send any
one there. When he III well he al
| ways went himself and his magic
power protected him, but as he is sick
he has lost his power"
Now it so happened that among all
these gay birds was one little coal
black bird, who was so ashamed of
himself that he kept behind the
bushes. How he envied the lovely hues
of the gayly colored ones, and most Of
all beautiful fellow whose purple
piumes shOne into gold at their tips
This bird. called the eyre, expected to
| be appointed as page to the queen on
account of his beauty.
Now this eyre was very vain and
wanted to win Mab's favor, so he said
he would go for the yellow water So
he set out very bravely and flew a long
way but when it grew dark and cold
he rested. Then beside him he saw the
little black bird
what are you following me for?"
snapped the eyre. 81 want no such
common folks as you on my trail"
The little bird shivered.
Il did not mean any harm" he said
| humbly. Il love the queen, so
| thought ! would come along, too. /
Knight be of some helrs.,' But the e.
| did not answer and only flew proudly
| away-but the little black bird fol-
lowed at distances, Mntly he saw
I! the eyre again resting.
Il am tired of this mission said
the eyre as he caught sight of the
| blackbird. Il mean TO stay here for
two days, then go home and say
| could not find the spring" And he
curled himself up in a warm hole for
a long nap.
But the little bird kept on. 1t was
windy, the rain came down, and his
tiny wings began to droop, but he
would not stop. At last he saw the
dark entrance to a cavern and knew
he was at his journeys end.
Il am so black the dragon will not
see me in the dark" he murmured
So softly he crept in while the three
heads of the dragon snOred loudly.
Right at the side of the spring was a
row of bottles all full of the yellow
water and he took one up in his bill.
Clip, clip, clip, he went out again. In
few hours he passed the tree in
which the eyre was sleeping. and by
dawn he was pecking at Queen Mab's
window.
"Oh, you darling" exclaimed the
queen who would have thought OF
your being brave enough to make the |
trip" The fairy father seized the |
bottle and drank q few drOpS-ln- !
stantIy he was perfectly well. Just |
then in ragged the eyre. He had |
Weakened and seen the bird flying by |
with the bottle. And so angry was
he that he flew at it. pushing it from
the table Fortunately not much was
spilled, for the father caught it before
it struck the floor, but some drops
flew on both the black bird and on the
eyre.
Il am well and have my magic
power again." said the queens father
and the first thing | will do is to give
the little black bird the reward he
desires"
Oh how delighted he was-just 10
know he could get pretty bright
Feathers like ahe other birds, NO
longer to hide his dark tints behind
bush 81 would love to be the color OF
he magic water | brought" he said,
mildly. 81 think gold is the loyeliest
Of all hues."
You shall not only be Of golden
lue," said the father, but you shall
De the queens page in the future. That
)ad fellow in purple is lazy, selfish,
proud and Jealous | will see that in (,
uture he has nothing to be proud OF. y
And he waved his right hand three .
ines in a circle. 2