LITTLE MAJA. 549

large carpet out of some hay, which she went and spread over
the dead bird, and then, having found in the fieldmouse’s roomn
some down plucked from flowers, and as soft as cotton, she
laid it on cach side of the bird, that he might lic warmly in
the cold earth. “Farewell, you pretty bird!” said she,
“farewell! and take my thanks for your pretty singing
throughout the summer, when the trees were green, and the
warm sun shone down upon us.” She then laid her head on
the bird's breast, but was immediately startled, for it felt as if
something went thump, thump! inside. ‘This was the bird's
heart, for the hird was not dead ; he had only been senseless,
and now that he was warmed he began to revi Jn autumn
all the swallows fly away to warm countries, but if one of them
happens to get belated, it, generally becomes frozen, and drops
down as if dead, and remains lying wherever it happens to fall,
and the cold snow then covers it over.

Maja trembled with fright, for the bird was very, very big
compared to herself, who was only an inch high. Still she
took courage, and laying the cotton more thickly round the
poor swallow, she fetched a leaf of curled mint that served for
her counterpane, and spread it over the bird's head. In the
following night she again stole to see him, when she found him
alive, but very faint. He could only just open his eyes for a
moment to look at M as she stood before him with a piece of
phosphorescent wood in her hand, for this was the only lantern
she could command. “ Thank you, my pretty little maiden,”
said the sick swallow, “J am nicely warmed now, and I shall
soon get my strength again, and be able to fly abroad in the
warm sunshine.” “Oh,” cried Maja, “but it is cold out-of
doors, for it snows and freezes ; keep in your warm bed, and
I'll take care of you.” She then brought the swallow some
water in the leaf of a flower, and after he had drunk, he told