II4 Fairy Tales

“Can you see straight up between the
leaves to the blue sky overhead ?”

‘Of course I can.”

“Then listen very carefully,” said Agrippa,
“for I want you to attend. The hawk will
sail back before long if I know his ways,
and will swoop down on those mouse-babies.
It was very silly of the mother to hang her
nest out there in the open, but then—you
can’t put sense into those creatures, and
her being foolish doesn’t make it right for
the hawk to eat her children. So as he is a
robber. I. mean to kill him. But he would
not come if he knew I was here, therefore
I am obliged to hide, and all the others grow
so frightened when they see the hawk that
they are no good at all. Do you understand?”

“Perfectly,” said the elf, looking at him
with great respect.

“Then what you must do is to watch.
He is so quick that you mustn’t even turn
your head. Watch. And the very instant
you see him swoop, cry out, and I will
spring. You are sure you understand ?”