THE EMPEROR'S BIRD'S-NEST. Perched upon the Emperor's tent, 'Tis the wife of some deserter!" So unharmed and unafraid Sat the swallow still and brooded, Through the walls a breach had made, Till the brood was fledged and flown, 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 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. 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. 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. |