The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-07-02
DADDY.JEvlN|NQH
FAIRY TALE "A
6y Nary Graham Bonner "
q ~ 40 AurH0N t|Z-0
THE YELLOW BANTAM

My nest. alas, was stolen, but l
took another family instead" said the
yellow bantam.
rs that how you happened to get
us. Mother Bantam?' asked the little
chickens.
Yes, my love-" said Mother Ban
tam, the beautiful and affectionate
yellow bantam. the favorite of the
farmers wife.
Tell us story, Mother Bants..."
said the chicks.
All, 1t does my old hen heart good
to hear you talk like this" said Moth
er Bantam.
"Why?" asked the little chicks. in
their funny little voices ~,
"Ah, to be asked for story, makes
me feel like your own mother"
Aren't you our own mother?" one
of the chicks asked.
Il am now, but 1 wasn't at one
time," said Mother Bantam. "But
when you ask me for story it makes
me happy for then / feel like your
own mother. OF course / am your
own mother now, for / love you and
to be mothered.
But I will tell you the story of how
you became my children. 1 have never
told it to you before"
The little chicks kept nice and
warm under Mother Bantam's good
wing and she told them this story:
"Ah, little chicks, l was sad, oh SO
sad"
The little chicks began to cry.
oh, is it to be sad story-?" they
said.
No, dearies," said Mother Bantam,
1T begins sadly but it Is not a sad
story. 1t goes on in a very, very
happy way. But it has a sad begin
ming.
But what do we care If things have
sad beginnings If only they end off
happily and we can feel they're going
to be happy for ever and ever, or at
least for very, very long time"
Then we don't mind" said the lit
tie chicks.
And sometimes it makes US very
happy, very much happier l should
say, to have known what ii was TO be
sad for then we know how glorious
thing it is to be happy"
"Were we ever sad, Mother Ban
haps that is why we're so happy now,
because once we were sad?"
ut doesn't always mean that" said
Mother Bantam. but sometimes l
think, when creatures seem NOT to
know how happy they are and when
they don't appreciate their happiness,
that it's because they don't know
what it means TO be sad. II they had
known they wouldn't make things
wretched by being unhappy over moth
ing at ALL"
One little chick was crying now.
81 think this sounds like very
sad story" he said
"Ah no, it isn't to be a sad story.
and l know there are loads and loads
of creatures who have never been sad
who do appreciate their joyfulness
and then / think it is quite perfect.
They know enough TO appreciate what
they have.
well, my nest was stolen. My nest
and its eggs. All, / was wretched. /
was very miserable"
Mother Bantam saw that another
chick had tears in its eyes, only tears
such as mother bantam could see.
But soon was quite, quite happy
she continued. II found hen, a most
unnatural mother who didn't care TO
be bothered by her young. She let
me take them. She didn't mind in the
least"
Were the Ones" the little chicks
shouted.
Eyes, you were the ones. and
brought you up as my own. And
you've been my own darlings ever
since. I've taught you what and how
to eat, and everything a little chick
should know, and I've kept you warm
and watched over you. and you've
loved me In return"
'We do love you, Mother Bantam
81 know you do, my loves"
$50 you didn't lose fine brood af-
ter all, did your asked one of the
chicks. cat least you had another
just as nice, Ell? Mother Bantam. do
you agreeT'
81 do, l most certainly do" Moth
er Bantam cackled happily.