The Birds give a Music-Lesson. 45

“« Ves, certainly, replied a robin. ‘We must begin at once,
and give you some notes to practice while we are off hunting
our breakfast. Listen to me—tra-la-la !’

“ The other birds set up a clamor before the sprite could re-
peat the notes which had swelled pure and sweet from the
robin’s tiny throat.

“« The robin is no singer,’ piped a saucy wren.

“*J will show you the way to use your chest notes,’ said the
thrush.

“* Bob-o-link ! bob-o-link ?

“* Peet-tweet !

“¢ Chip, chip, chee !

“* The loudest voice is the best,’ screamed a handsome crow.
‘Caw! caw?

“The oak-tree plainly saw that the sprite would be unable
to make anything out of all this noise, so it shook its trunk so
violently that the birds had to take wing, or tumble to the
ground.

“*Qne at a time, if you please,’ said the tree, politely. ‘ The
sprite is so young that he is easily confused.’

“Then each bird hopped out and sang a song.

“* All the songs are so sweet that I like one as well as the
other, said the wise and prudent sprite.

“The birds were offended—each wished to have its song
preferred to that of the rest; so they all flew away as sud-
denly as they came, leaving the sprite to repeat, ‘Caw, caw,
peet-tweet, bob-o-link,’ quite out of tune, because his head was
giddy after the lesson.

“One day the sprite noticed a different music. There had