the song of the cardinal-第18章

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off　an'　leave　a　gun　like　that。　　Poor　fellow！　　I　do　hope；　Abram；

you　didn't　come　down　on　him　too　awful　strong。　　Maybe　he　lost　his

mother　when　he　was　jest　a　little　tyke；　an'　he　hasn't　had　much

teachin'。〃



Abram　was　completely　worn　out；　and　went　early　to　bed。　　Far　in　the

night　Maria　felt　him　fumbling　around　her　face　in　an　effort　to

learn　if　she　were　covered；　and　as　he　drew　the　sheet　over　her

shoulder　he　muttered　in　worn　and　sleepy　tones：　〃I'm　afraid　they's

no　use　denyin'　it；　Maria；　I　WAS　JEST　MORTAL　FIERCE。〃



In　the　sumac　the　frightened　little　mother　cardinal　was　pressing

her　precious　babies　close　against　her　breast；　and　all　through　the

night　she　kept　calling　to　her　mate；　〃Chook！　Chook！〃　and　was

satisfied　only　when　an　answering　〃Chip！〃　came。　　As　for　the

Cardinal；　he　had　learned　a　new　lesson。　　He　had　not　been　under

fire　before。　　Never　again　would　he　trust　any　one　carrying　a

shining　thing　that　belched　fire　and　smoke。　　He　had　seen　the

hunter　coming；　and　had　raced　home　to　defend　his　mate　and　babies；

thus　making　a　brilliant　mark　of　himself；　and　as　he　would　not　have

deserted　them；　only　the　arrival　of　the　farmer　had　averted　a

tragedy　in　the　sumac。　　He　did　not　learn　to　use　caution　for

himself；　but　after　that；　if　a　gun　came　down　the　shining　river；　he

sent　a　warning　〃Chip！〃　to　his　mate；　telling　her　to　crouch　low　in

her　nest　and　keep　very　quiet；　and　then；　in　broken　waves　of

flight；　and　with　chirp　and　flutter；　he　exposed　himself　until　he

had　lured　danger　from　his　beloved　ones。



When　the　babies　grew　large　enough　for　their　mother　to　leave　them

a　short　time；　she　assisted　in　food　hunting；　and　the　Cardinal　was

not　so　busy。　　He　then　could　find　time　frequently　to　mount　to　the

top　of　the　dogwood；　and　cry　to　the　world；　〃See　here！　See　here！〃

for　the　cardinal　babies　were　splendid。　　But　his　music　was　broken

intermittent　vocalizing　now；　often　uttered　past　a　beakful　of

food；　and　interspersed　with　spasmodic　〃chips〃　if　danger

threatened　his　mate　and　nestlings。



Despite　all　their　care；　it　was　not　so　very　long　until　trouble

came　to　the　sumac；　and　it　was　all　because　the　first…born　was

plainly　greedy；　much　more　so　than　either　his　little　brother　or

his　sister；　and　he　was　one　day　ahead　of　them　in　strength。　　He

always　pushed　himself　forward；　cried　the　loudest　and　longest；　and

so　took　the　greater　part　of　the　food　carried　to　the　nest；　and　one

day；　while　he　was　still　quite　awkward　and　uncertain；　he　climbed

to　the　edge　and　reached　so　far　that　he　fell。　　He　rolled　down　the

river　bank；　splash！　into　the　water；　and　a　hungry　old　pickerel；

sunning　in　the　weeds；　finished　him　at　a　snap。　　He　made　a　morsel

so　fat；　sweet；　and　juicy　that　the　pickerel　lingered　close　for　a

week；　waiting　to　see　if　there　would　be　any　more　accidents。



The　Cardinal；　hunting　grubs　in　the　corn　field；　heard　the

frightened　cries　of　his　mate；　and　dashed　to　the　sumac　in　time　to

see　the　poor　little　ball　of　brightly　tinted　feathers　disappear　in

the　water　and　to　hear　the　splash　of　the　fish。　　He　called　in

helpless　panic　and　fluttered　over　the　spot。　　He　watched　and

waited　until　there　was　no　hope　of　the　nestling　coming　up；　then　he

went　to　the　sumac　to　try　to　comfort　his　mate。　　She　could　not　be

convinced　that　her　young　one　was　gone；　and　for　the　remainder　of

the　day　filled　the　air　with　alarm　cries　and　notes　of　wailing。



The　two　that　remained　were　surely　the　envy　of　Birdland。　　The　male

baby　was　a　perfect　copy　of　his　big　crimson　father；　only　his

little　coat　was　gray；　but　it　was　so　highly　tinged　with　red　that

it　was　brilliant；　and　his　beak　and　feet　were　really　red；　and　how

his　crest　did　flare；　and　how　proud　and　important　he　felt；　when　he

found　he　could　raise　and　lower　it　at　will。　　His　sister　was　not

nearly　so　bright　as　he；　and　she　was　almost　as　greedy　as　the　lost

brother。　　With　his　father's　chivalry　he　allowed　her　to　crowd　in

and　take　the　most　of　the　seeds　and　berries；　so　that　she

continually　appeared　as　if　she　could　swallow　no　more；　yet　she　was

constantly　calling　for　food。



She　took　the　first　flight；　being　so　greedy　she　forgot　to　be

afraid；　and　actually　flew　to　a　neighbouring　thorn　tree　to　meet

the　Cardinal；　coming　with　food；　before　she　realized　what　she　had

done。　　For　once　gluttony　had　its　proper　reward。　　She　not　only

missed　the　bite；　but　she　got　her　little　self　mightily　well

scared。　　With　popping　eyes　and　fear…flattened　crest；　she　clung　to

the　thorn　limb；　shivering　at　the　depths　below；　and　it　was　the

greatest　comfort　when　her　brother　plucked　up　courage　and　came

sailing　across　to　her。　　But；　of　course；　she　could　not　be　expected

to　admit　that。　　When　she　saw　how　easily　he　did　it；　she　flared　her

crest；　turned　her　head　indifferently；　and　inquired　if　he　did　not

find　flying　a　very　easy　matter；　once　he　mustered　courage　to　try

it；　and　she　made　him　very　much　ashamed　indeed　because　he　had

allowed　her　to　be　the　first　to　leave　the　nest。　　From　the　thorn

tree　they　worked　their　way　to　the　dead　sycamore；　but　there　the

lack　of　foliage　made　them　so　conspicuous　that　their　mother　almost

went　into　spasms　from　fright；　and　she　literally　drove　them　back

to　the　sumac。



The　Cardinal　was　so　inordinately　proud；　and　made　such　a　brave

showing　of　teaching　them　to　fly；　bathe；　and　all　the　other　things

necessary　for　young　birds　to　know；　that　it　was　a　great　mercy　they

escaped　with　their　lives。　　He　had　mastered　many　lessons；　but　he

never　could　be　taught　how　to　be　quiet　and　conceal　himself。　　With

explosive　〃chips〃　flaming　and　flashing；　he　met　dangers　that　sent

all　the　other　birds　beside　the　shining　river　racing　to　cover。

Concealment　he　scorned；　and　repose　he　never　knew。



It　was　a　summer　full　of　rich　experience　for　the　Cardinal。　　After

these　first　babies　were　raised　and　had　flown；　two　more　nests　were

built；　and　two　other　broods　flew　around　the　sumac。　　By　fall　the

Cardinal　was　the　father　of　a　small　flock；　and　they　were　each　one

neat；　trim；　beautiful　river　birds。



He　had　lived　through　spring　with　its　perfumed　air；　pale　flowers；

and　burning　heart　hunger。　　He　had　known　summer　in　its　golden

mood；　with　forests　pungent　with　spicebush　and　sassafras；

festooned　with　wild　grape；　woodbine；　and　bittersweet；　carpeted

with　velvet　moss　and　starry　mandrake　peeping　from　beneath　green

shades；　the　never…ending　murmur　of　the　shining　river；　and　the

rich　fulfilment　of　love's　fruition。



Now　it　was　fall；　and　all　the　promises　of　spring　were

accomplished。　　The　woods　were　glorious　in　autumnal　tints。　　There

were　ripened　red　haws；　black　haws；　and　wild　grapes　only　waiting

for　severe　frosts；　nuts　rattling　down；　scurrying　squirrels；　and

the　rabbits'　flash　of　gray　and　brown。　　The　waysides　were　bright

with　the　glory　of　goldenrod；　and　royal　with　the　purple　of　asters

and　ironwort。　　There　was　the　rustle　of　falling　leaves；　the

flitting　of　velvety　butterflies；　the　whir　of　wings　trained

southward；　and　the　call　of　the　king　crow　gathering　his　followers。



Then　to　the　Cardinal　came　the　intuition　that　it　was　time　to　lead

his　family　to　the　orange　orchard。　　One　day　they　flamed　and　rioted

up　and　down　the　shining　river；　raced　over　the　corn　field；　and

tilted　on　the　sumac。　　The　next；　a　black　frost　had　stripped　its

antlered　limbs。　　Stark　and　deserted　it　stood；　a　picture　of

loneliness。



O　bird　of　wonderful　plumage　and　human…like　song！　W　hat　a　precious

thought　of　Divinity　to　create　such　beauty　and　music　for　our

pleasure！　　Brave　songster　of　the　flaming　coat；　too　proud　to　hide

your　flashing　beauty；　too　fearless　to　be　cautious　of　the　many

dangers　that　beset　you；　from　the　top　of　the　morning　we　greet　you；

and　hail　you　King　of　Birdland；　at　your　imperious　command：　〃See

here！　See　here！〃








End