The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1919-02-28
MWNSV[NNG)
FAIRY Tale !
scISsoR-TAILED FLYcATcHER.
81 fiApY nAgkNbVNeN

SDNAAS SNNA vi NhS INV
States during the winter" said Daddy,
there is a bird known as the Scissor
Tailed Flycatcher."
1--WE haven't heard of a new bird
or q new animal In ever so long," said
Nancy. "Do tell us about this one,
Daddy"
"Yes, do" urged Nick.
"He Is known by such a name be-
cause he has a very long tail which Is
very much the shape of q pair of scis-
snrs. In fact his tail is like two tails
which open and shut as one would
open and close a pair OF scissors.
"He is very graceful and beautiful
and he loves the air and not the
ground. He very seldom cares about
coming to the ground, for he thinks
that the ground is for creatures who
walk and the air for creatures who
fly and that 1t is silly to do both"
"He wouldn't believe it sensible to
be a man and ride in an airplane, eh?"
asked Nick.
II don't suppose he would" said
Daddy. We'll, to continue about his
ways and habits and looks. He loves
the woods aud the best meals, he
thinks, are meals of insects. He goes
off flying for them between meals just
as ladies go marketing.
INSTEAD Of saying to o shopkeeper,
How much is that piece of meat?' he
says, 4 will catch you, Miss Insect, and
you'll be my dinner, you will"
HE opens and closes his scissor
like tail when he does his marketing
just as ladies would open and close
their purses after they had bought
something.
"His home is a very large nest, and
1t is made Of anything at all-grass
and bits of cloth and strings and bits
of twigs. He doesn't care whether
his nest is in a big tree or a little
tree or whether 1t is high, high above
the ground or just a little above the
ground. In fact, he Is very good
natured.
Mrs. Scissor-Tailed Flycatcher has
a happy time with such q pleasant
mate and she is pleasant herself which
makes them both happy.
"The event Of her life is Matching
time. When she is sitting on four
whitish brown eggs which will soon be
little scissor-tailed fycatchers she Is
as happy as a bird can be, and that Is
pretty happy, as you can imagine.
II am going to tell you now about
Mr.. Scissor-Tailed Flycatcher aud his
talk to an insect.
Little insect said Mr.. Scissor
Tailed Flycatcher, Il am very we'll
named. / am called a fiycatcher and l
flies. / catch insects as WE'LL The lit
tie insect moved q wing but 1T was cap
tured by Mr.. Flycatcher and couldn't
do anything.
81 wouldn't admire myself If I could
only catch flies said Mr.. .Flycatcher,
any more than | would admire chill
dren who learned how TO read but not
to write. SO | catch insects too
az don't need to be told that the
insect whispered.
livery WE'LL said the Flycatcher, 4
will take up another subject. / only
told you in case you didn't know. But
1t Is nice to go on to another lesson.
Children go on from reading and writ
Ing to arithmetic and then on to some
thing known as algebra
90 GVnn ,,ory ,,,,oh graetnI In
children said the insect.
Eyes said the .Flycatcber, 4 am.
Children enjoy good things to eat. That
Is sensible of them
"The insect shivered again. It knew
that soon, soon IT would be eaten.
81 have a secret to tell you next
said the Flycatcher. Il don't 60 on the
ground as 1t would be very uncomfort-
able for ME. l try 1t once in a while
but my long tail makes it hard for me
to get along.
81 am at my best when flying. Then
my tail spreads out and closes.
"'And another thing, little insect, /
live here In the winters because 1t Is
cold further north, but eve In the
summers i live far, far South, for /
like heat and not mere warmth.
"Tn D little while now l will be
moving to my summer home-but IL
will be q few months still and In the
meantime l will enjoy the scenery
around these parts-and the insects
as we'll.
".Ah, I'm q wise bird. l didn't eat
you when / had had enough though
still could eat more. l waited until /
had worked up an appetite nee more.
/ have had a good talk. Now ! am
hungry. Now / will enjoy a dish of
afternoon insect, though l won't bother
whether II Is afternoon or not-for !
believe, truly, 1t is still morning. But
I will enjoy you, little insect
"And the insect heard no more for
he had been swallowed by the Fly