the song of the cardinal-第2章

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The　big　egg　was　her　treasure。　　She　gave　it　constant　care。　　Many

times　in　a　day　she　turned　it；　and　always　against　her　breast　there

was　the　individual　pressure　that　distinguished　it　from　the

others。　　It　was　the　first　to　hatch；　of　course；　and　the　queen　felt

that　she　had　enough　if　all　the　others　failed　her；　for　this　egg

pipped　with　a　resounding　pip；　and　before　the　silky　down　was

really　dry　on　the　big　terracotta　body；　the　young　Cardinal　arose

and　lustily　demanded　food。



The　king　came　to　see　him　and　at　once　acknowledged　subjugation。　

He　was　the　father　of　many　promising　cardinals；　yet　he　never　had

seen　one　like　this。　　He　set　the　Limberlost　echoes　rolling　with

his　jubilant　rejoicing。　　He　unceasingly　hunted　for　the　ripest

berries　and　seed。　　He　stuffed　that　baby　from　morning　until　night；

and　never　came　with　food　that　he　did　not　find　him　standing　a…top

the　others　calling　for　more。　　The　queen　was　just　as　proud　of　him

and　quite　as　foolish　in　her　idolatry；　but　she　kept　tally　and　gave

the　remainder　every　other　worm　in　turn。　　They　were　unusually　fine

babies；　but　what　chance　has　merely　a　fine　baby　in　a　family　that

possesses　a　prodigy？　　The　Cardinal　was　as　large　as　any　two　of　the

other　nestlings；　and　so　red　the　very　down　on　him　seemed　tinged

with　crimson；　his　skin　and　even　his　feet　were　red。



He　was　the　first　to　climb　to　the　edge　of　the　nest　and　the　first

to　hop　on　a　limb。　　He　surprised　his　parents　by　finding　a　slug；

and　winged　his　first　flight　to　such　a　distance　that　his　adoring

mother　almost　went　into　spasms　lest　his　strength　might　fail；　and

he　would　fall　into　the　swamp　and　become　the　victim　of　a　hungry

old　turtle。　　He　returned　safely；　however；　and　the　king　was　so

pleased　he　hunted　him　an　unusually　ripe　berry；　and　perching

before　him；　gave　him　his　first　language　lesson。　　Of　course；　the

Cardinal　knew　how　to　cry　〃Pee〃　and　〃Chee〃　when　he　burst　his

shell；　but　the　king　taught　him　to　chip　with　accuracy　and

expression；　and　he　learned　that　very　day　that　male　birds　of　the

cardinal　family　always　call　〃Chip；〃　and　the　females　〃Chook。〃　　In

fact；　he　learned　so　rapidly　and　was　generally　so　observant；　that

before　the　king　thought　it　wise　to　give　the　next　lesson；　he　found

him　on　a　limb；　his　beak　closed；　his　throat　swelling；　practising

his　own　rendering　of　the　tribal　calls；　〃Wheat！　Wheat！　Wheat！〃

〃Here！　Here！　Here！〃　and　〃Cheer！　Cheer！　Cheer！〃　　This　so　delighted

the　king　that　he　whistled　them　over　and　over　and　helped　the

youngster　all　he　could。



He　was　so　proud　of　him　that　this　same　night　he　gave　him　his　first

lesson　in　tucking　his　head　properly　and　going　to　sleep　alone。　　In

a　few　more　days；　when　he　was　sure　of　his　wing　strength；　he　gave

him　instructions　in　flying。　　He　taught　him　how　to　spread　his

wings　and　slowly　sail　from　tree　to　tree；　how　to　fly　in　short

broken　curves；　to　avoid　the　aim　of　a　hunter；　how　to　turn　abruptly

in　air　and　make　a　quick　dash　after　a　bug　or　an　enemy。　　He　taught

him　the　proper　angle　at　which　to　breast　a　stiff　wind；　and　that　he

always　should　meet　a　storm　head　first；　so　that　the　water　would

run　as　the　plumage　lay。



His　first　bathing　lesson　was　a　pronounced　success。　　The　Cardinal

enjoyed　water　like　a　duck。　　He　bathed；　splashed；　and　romped　until

his　mother　was　almost　crazy　for　fear　he　would　attract　a

watersnake　or　turtle；　but　the　element　of　fear　was　not　a　part　of

his　disposition。　　He　learned　to　dry；　dress；　and　plume　his

feathers；　and　showed　such　remarkable　pride　in　keeping　himself

immaculate；　that　although　only　a　youngster；　he　was　already　a　bird

of　such　great　promise；　that　many　of　the　feathered　inhabitants　of

the　Limberlost　came　to　pay　him　a　call。



Next；　the　king　took　him　on　a　long　trip　around　the　swamp；　and

taught　him　to　select　the　proper　places　to　hunt　for　worms；　how　to

search　under　leaves　for　plant…lice　and　slugs　for　meat；　which

berries　were　good　and　safe；　and　the　kind　of　weeds　that　bore　the

most　and　best　seeds。　　He　showed　him　how　to　find　tiny　pebbles　to

grind　his　food；　and　how　to　sharpen　and　polish　his　beak。



Then　he　took　up　the　real　music　lessons；　and　taught　him　how　to

whistle　and　how　to　warble　and　trill。　　〃Good　Cheer！　Good　Cheer！〃

intoned　the　king。　　〃Coo　Cher！　Coo　Cher！〃　imitated　the　Cardinal。

These　songs　were　only　studied　repetitions；　but　there　was　a　depth

and　volume　in　his　voice　that　gave　promise　of　future　greatness；

when　age　should　have　developed　him；　and　experience　awakened　his

emotions。　　He　was　an　excellent　musician　for　a　youngster。



He　soon　did　so　well　in　caring　for　himself；　in　finding　food　and　in

flight；　and　grew　so　big　and　independent；　that　he　made　numerous

excursions　alone　through　the　Limberlost；　and　so　impressive　were

his　proportions；　and　so　aggressive　his　manner；　that　he　suffered

no　molestation。　　In　fact；　the　reign　of　the　king　promised　to　end

speedily；　but　if　he　feared　it　he　made　no　sign；　and　his　pride　in

his　wonderful　offspring　was　always　manifest。　　After　the　Cardinal

had　explored　the　swamp　thoroughly；　a　longing　for　a　wider　range

grew　upon　him；　and　day　after　day　he　lingered　around　the　borders；

looking　across　the　wide　cultivated　fields；　almost　aching　to　test

his　wings　in　one　long；　high；　wild　stretch　of　flight。



A　day　came　when　the　heat　of　the　late　summer　set　the　marsh

steaming；　and　the　Cardinal；　flying　close　to　the　borders；　caught

the　breeze　from　the　upland；　and　the　vision　of　broad　fields

stretching　toward　the　north　so　enticed　him　that　he　spread　his

wings；　and　following　the　line　of　trees　and　fences　as　much　as

possible；　he　made　his　first　journey　from　home。　　That　day　was　so

delightful　it　decided　his　fortunes。　　It　would　seem　that　the

swamp；　so　appreciated　by　his　kindred；　should　have　been　sufficient

for　the　Cardinal；　but　it　was　not。　　With　every　mile　he　winged　his

flight；　came　a　greater　sense　of　power　and　strength；　and　a　keener

love　for　the　broad　sweep　of　field　and　forest。　　His　heart　bounded

with　the　zest　of　rocking　on　the　wind；　racing　through　the

sunshine；　and　sailing　over　the　endless　panorama　of　waving　corn

fields；　and　woodlands。



The　heat　and　closeness　of　the　Limberlost　seemed　a　prison　well

escaped；　as　on　and　on　he　flew　in　straight　untiring　flight。

Crossing　a　field　of　half…ripened　corn　that　sloped　to　the　river；

the　Cardinal　saw　many　birds　feeding　there；　so　he　alighted　on　a

tall　tree　to　watch　them。　　Soon　he　decided　that　he　would　like　to

try　this　new　food。　　He　found　a　place　where　a　crow　had　left　an　ear

nicely　laid　open；　and　clinging　to　the　husk；　as　he　saw　the　others

do；　he　stretched　to　his　full　height　and　drove　his　strong　sharp

beak　into　the　creamy　grain。　　After　the　stifling　swamp　hunting；

after　the　long　exciting　flight；　to　rock　on　this　swaying　corn　and

drink　the　rich　milk　of　the　grain；　was　to　the　Cardinal　his　first

taste　of　nectar　and　ambrosia。　　He　lifted　his　head　when　he　came　to

the　golden　kernel；　and　chipping　it　in　tiny　specks；　he　tasted　and

approved　with　all　the　delight　of　an　epicure　in　a　delicious　new

dish。



Perhaps　there　were　other　treats　in　the　next　field。　　He　decided　to

fly　even　farther。　　But　he　had　gone　only　a　short　distance　when　he

changed　his　course　and　turned　to　the　South；　for　below　him　was　a

long；　shining；　creeping　thing；　fringed　with　willows；　while

towering　above　them　were　giant　sycamore；　maple；　tulip；　and　elm

trees　that　caught　and　rocked　with　the　wind；　and　the　Cardinal　did

not　know　what　it　was。　　Filled　with　wonder　he　dropped　lower　and

lower。　　Birds　were　everywhere；　many　flying　over　and　dipping　into

it；　but　its　clear　creeping　silver　was　a　mystery　to　the　Cardinal。



The　beautiful　river　of　poetry　and　song　that　the　Indians　first

discovered；　and　later　with　the　French；　named　Ouabache；　the

winding　shining　river　that　Logan　and　Me…shin…go…me…sia　loved；　the

only　river　that　could　tempt　Wa…ca…co…nah　from　the　Salamonie　and

Mississinewa；　the　river　beneath　whose　silver　sycamores　and　giant

maples　Chief　Godfrey　pitched　his　campfires；　was　never　more

beautiful　than　on　that　perfect　autumn　day。



With　his　feathers　pressed　closely；