"We," said the mouse and the cat.
"We," said the dog and the rat.

"Not you," said the hen, "but I and my chicks.

66

six."

"Bow-wow!" said the dog.

"Mew, mew!" said the cat.

Squeak, squeak!" said the mouse.

"Dear me!" said the rat.

-Selected.

Splash, splash, splash, and roar, roar, roar!
Hark to the waves on the long seashore!
Weeds and rocks and shells and sand-
See what the water gives to the land!

Roar, roar, roar, and splash, splash, splash! Up on the seashore the big waves dash. Wood and grass, and leaves from the treeSee what the land gives up to the sea!

Once upon a time six little birds sat on the shore of the sea. They were all fat and fluffy and friendly.

Said one fat, fluffy bird, "It is growing cold here, and worms are hard to find.

"In the land across the sea they are ready to fall into your bill. Some one told me so. Let us go to the land across the sea."

"I want worms, too," said another fat, fluffy bird. "But how shall we go across the sea? Our wings are small. We cannot fly so far as that."

Said another fluffy bird, "Maybe some one will carry us over. Let us wait and see."

So they sat in the sun and waited for some one to carry them over.

fish

swim'ming

II

by fins cranes broad

Soon a fish came swimming by.

"Will you please carry us across the sea?" asked the six little birds.

"I will carry you down into the sea," said the fish. "You don't know what fun it is down under the waters. Watch me go!" And down he went into the sea.

"We could not go that way," said the birds. "We must wait for some one else."

A sheep came walking by. He looked very
Maybe he would help them.

kind.

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Sheep, will you please carry us to the land across the sea?" asked the six little birds.

"How can I carry you across?" asked the

sheep. "I have no fins, and I have no wings. I cannot swim or fly. You must wait for the cranes. They will carry you over the sea."

"What are the cranes?" asked the birds. "We have not heard of cranes."

"They are large, strong birds," said the sheep. "They have broad backs and long, strong wings. They have long bills and long legs. You will know them when they come."

So again they sat in the sun and waited for some one to carry them over.

"Will the cranes walk, or will they fly?" asked one little bird of another. "Will they stop, do you think, and carry us over?"

Soon the little birds heard a rushing in the

air. They looked up and saw four cranes flying low over the sands.