Веснянки
Chapter III
PrettyspecimenIam,pretendingtobeafriendtothebirds,andsoblamedignorantIdon’tknowwhichonesgoinpairs,andblueandbrownareapair,ofcourse,ifyellowandgreenare—andthere’stheredbirds!Ineverthoughtofthem!He’sredandshe’sgray—andnowIwanttobeknowing,aretheyalldifferent?Whyno!Ofcourse,theyain’t!There’sthejaysallblue,andthecrowsallblack.”
ThetideofFreckles’discontentwelleduntilhealmostchokedwithangerandchagrin.Heploddeddownthetrail,scowlingblacklyandviciouslyspangingthewire.Atthefinches’nestheleftthelineandpeeredintothethorntree.Therewasnobirdbrooding.Hepressedclosertotakeapeepatthesnowy,spotlesslittleeggshehadfoundsobeautiful,whenattheslightnoiseupraisedfourtinybabyheadswithwide-openmouths,utteringhungercries.Frecklessteppedback.Thebrownbirdalightedontheedgeandclosedonecavitywithawigglinggreenworm,whilenottwominuteslaterthebluefilledanotherwithawhite.Thatsettledit.Theblueandbrownweremates.OnceagainFrecklesrepeatedhis“HowIwishIknew!”
AroundthebridgespanningSleepySnakeCreektheswalespreadwidely,thetimberwasscattering,andwillows,rushes,marsh-grass,andsplendidwildflowersgrewabundantly.Herelazy,big,blackwatersnakes,forwhichthecreekwasnamed,sunnedonthebushes,wildducksandgrebechattered,cranesandheronsfished,andmuskratsplowedthebankinqueer,rollingfurrows.
