Thrush: Oh, Mrs. Magpie, I wish you would

Magpie:

Thrush:

Magpie:

Blackbird:

teach us how you build your nest. Would you be so kind as to let us see you make it? Everyone says your nest is made better than any other in the green wood. Is that true, really! Come nearer, then, and I will show you how I do it. (Birds draw near.)

You see,

I take some mud and I

make a round cake with it.

Oh! That's how it's done! That's how it's done! I can make one now. (Thrush flies away.)

Mrs. Thrush went too soon. It isn't done yet. I fear she won't have a very good nest.

Now I lay some twigs in the mud, this way and that way. This way and that way.

I see! I see! I see! (Blackbird flies away.)

Magpie:

Wise Owl:

Magpie:

Sparrow:

Magpie:

Starling:

What! has Mrs. Blackbird

Tut-tut!

gone too?

Now another layer of mud. Twigs
and mud, twigs and mud!
Oh! That's very easy. That is very
easy! (Owl flies slowly away.)
Does the wise owl think that is all?
She is a foolish owl this morning.
Now, more twigs round the outside.
Up and down, in and out,

Round and round and round about!

(Turning slowly and carefully.)

The very thing, the very thing!
Thank you kindly, Mrs. Magpie!

(Sparrow flies away.) Oh! But the nest is not lined yet.

I make it soft and warm inside with feathers, soft and warm with feathers.

That pleases me! (Starling flies away.)

Magpie: Mrs. Starling should have waited.

It will take just one minute more.

Turtledove: Take two, take t-w-o!

Turtledove: Take two, take t-w-o-o-o!

Magpie:

One is enough, I tell you. Oh! are they all gone but you, Mrs. Turtledove? And I have just finished my nest! None of their nests will be as nice as mine. Their babies won't have such a snug cradle as my little magpies will have.

MY SHADOW

I have a little shadow that goes in and out

with me,

And what can be the use of him is more than

I can see,

He is very, very like me from the heels up to the head;

And I see him jump before me, when I jump into my bed.

The funniest thing about him is the way he likes

to grow

Not at all like proper children, which is always very slow;

For he sometimes shoots up taller like an indiarubber ball.

And he sometimes gets so little that there's none of him at all.

He hasn't got a notion of how children ought to play,

And can only make a fool of me in every sort

of way.

He stays so close beside me, he's a coward, you

can see;

I'd think shame to stick to nursie as that shadow

sticks to me!