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THE EMPEROR'S BIRD'S-NEST.

Perched upon the Emperor's tent,
In her nest, they spied a swallow.
"Let no hand the bird molest,'
Said he solemnly, "nor hunt her!"
Adding then, by way of jest,
"Golondrina is my guest,

'Tis the wife of some deserter!"

So unharmed and unafraid

Sat the swallow still and brooded,
Till the constant cannonade

Through the walls a breach had made,
And the siege was then concluded.
Then the army, elsewhere bent,
Struck its tents as if disbanding,
Only not the Emperor's tent,
For he ordered, ere he went,
Very curtly, "Leave it standing!"
So it stood there all alone,

Till the brood was fledged and flown,
Singing o'er those walls of stone

Which the cannon balls had shattered.

-Longfellow.

THE BELL OF ATRI.

King John was a good man.

He wanted to help peo

ple.

This is what he said to

them :

“I will have a bell hung

up.

A rope shall be tied to

the bell.

If you are in trouble, ring the bell.

I shall hear the bell.

I shall know you are in

trouble.

I will come and help you."

The people were glad to have the bell. When they were in trouble they would ring the bell.

King John always came to help them.

At last they wore out the end of the

rope.

That made it too short.

They could not reach it.

So a branch was tied to the end of the

rope.

Pretty green leaves were on the branch. It looked as if the rope had green leaves on it.

One man loved money very much.
He sold his dogs so as to get money.
He sold his land and his horses.

He kept one horse.

It was his best horse.

It had worked hard for the man.

But the man did not care for the

horse.

He did not like to feed it.

So he drove the horse into the street.

"You can eat the grass," said he. "I will not buy food for you.

Go into the street and get your food."

The poor horse went into the street.
It was very hot.

There was no shade.

The grass was dry and brown.

The poor old horse did not find much to

eat.

The bell began to ring.

King John heard it.

It seemed to say

"Some one has done wrong.

He went to see who rang the bell.
It was the old horse.

He had seen the green leaves on the rope.

He was trying to eat them.

That made the bell ring.

King John looked at the poor old horse.

He was sorry for him.

"I will help this horse," said he.

He told the man to take him home.

"Give him a good home," said King John

"Give him food, too.

He has been a good horse.

He has worked hard for you.

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