62 Nature Myths and Stories.

One of them became so excited that he fell from
the limb, down upon the hard ground. He did not
Stop at the foot of the tree, but rolled over and over,
far down into the valley.

Here a brook picked him up and hurried him
away; but as he stopped to rest by a stone, he
heard his good friend, the wind, tal king to a pine
thee:

“What is the secret of fire which the pine trees
knowe” asked the wind. “Don’t you think it is
selfish to keep it all to yourselves?”

The pine tree loved the wind and Poe ica:

“Great wind, it is, indeed, a wonderful secret: you
must never tell it.” Then she whispered it to the
wind.

The little acorn went onand on down the stream.

He came to anold log, which was the home of a
large family of squirrels. The mother Squirrel was
very sad. The last flood had brought her and her
children far away from her old forest home. Her
family had all been saved, but food was scarce and
winter was near.

The acorn felt very sorry for her and said:

“Tam too small to do you much good alone. If
you will carry me back to my home, | will show
you a forest with plenty of nuts. You can take
your family there in the fall.”

This the squirrel was very glad to do.

As they went along the acorn called to all the