Author Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1912 Excerpt:...the ladder and broke his neck; and when the old man broke his neck, the great walnut-tree fell down with a crash, and upset the old form and house, and the house falling knocked the window out, and the window knocked the door down, and the door upset the broom, and the broom upset the stool, and poor little Tatty Mouse was buried beneath the ruins. The Magpies Nest X"NCE upon a time all the birds of the air came to the m M Magpie and asked her to teach them how to build nests, for the Magpie is the cleverest of all at building. So she put them all around her and began to show them how to do it. First of all she took some mud and made a sort of round cake with it. "Oh, that's how it's done," said the thrush; and away it flew, and so that's how thrushes build their nests. Then the Magpie took some twigs and arranged them around in the mud. "Now I know all about it," said the blackbird, and off he flew; and that's how the blackbirds make their nests to this very day. Then the Magpie put another layer of mud over the twigs. "Oh, that's quite obvious," said the wise owl, and away he flew; and owls have never made better nests since. After this the Magpie took some twigs and twined them around the outside. "The very thing!" said the sparrow, and off he went; so sparrows make rather slovenly nests to this day. Well, then Madge Magpie took some feathers and stuff and lined the nest very comfortably with it. "That suits me," cried the starling, and off he flew; and very comfortable nests have starlings. So it went on, every bird taking away some knowledge of how to build nests, but none of them waiting to the end. Meanwhile Madge Magpie went on working and working without looking up till the only bird that remai...