The Statue and the Birds. 183

again). Not only the nose was broken, but the
arm as well, and the very arm too that had re-
fused to strike a blow in defence of a poor little
bird’s home.

‘Now, Birds,” said the Tree, much pleased at
what had been done, ‘call your friends and move
your nest up here,” and he pointed to a safe place
higher; so once more the home was moved.
Later Patrick removed the dead branch and stared
in astonishment at the Statue.

“Av Oi’d a shtayed, Oi’d a looked loike
thot,” said he.

The Statue was mended but was never the same
man again. And the Birds stayed with their kind
friend, the Tree, all through the summer, and sang
loudly to him, for joy, content, and gratitude were
in their hearts, and later when some little bird-
children came, they told them of the Tree’s kind-
ness, and the wee birdies, too, sang to him all
through the long warm summer, and the Tree was
happy. And this was the song they sang:

Vou never should build on a statue of stone
For his heart is as cold as he!