lookather!"theyallcried.

"lookather!lookather"criedherlittleones.assheapproachedthenest."thatiscertainlyayoungpeacock,foritglittersinallcolours;itmakesone'seyesache,asmothertoldus.peep!that's'thebeautiful'."andthentheypeckedatthebirdwiththeirlittlebeakssothatitwasimpossibleforhertogetintothenest;shewassoexhaustedthatshecouldn'tevensay"peep!"muchless"iamyourownmother!"theotherbirds,too,nowfelluponthesparrowandpluckedofffeatherafterfeatheruntilshefellbleedingintotherose-bush.

"poorcreature!"saidalltheroses;"onlybestill,andwewillhideyou.leanyourlittleheadagainstus.

thesparrowspreadoutherwingsoncemore,thendrewthemcloselytoher,andlaydeadneartheneighbouringfamily,thebeautifulfreshroses.

"peep!"soundedfromthenest."wherecanmotherbesolong?it'smorethanicanunderstand.itcannotbeatrickofhers,andmeanthatwearenowtotakecareofourselves.shehasleftusthehouseasaninheritance;buttowhichofusisittobelongwhenwehavefamiliesofourown?"

"yes,itwon'tdoforyoutostaywithmewheniincreasemyhouseholdwithawifeandchildren,"'saidthesmallest.

"idaresayishallhavemorewivesandchildrenthanyou,"saidthesecond.

"butiamtheeldest!"exclaimedthethird.thentheyallgotexcited;theyhitoutwiththeirwings,peckedwiththeirbeaks,andflop!oneafteranotherwasthrownoutofthenest.theretheylaywiththeiranger,holdingtheirheadsononesideandblinkingtheeyethatwasturnedupwards.thatwastheirwayoflookingfoolish.

theycouldflyalittle;bypracticetheylearnedtoimprove,andatlasttheyagreeduponasignbywhichtorecogniseeachotheriftheyshouldmeetintheworldlateron.itwastobeone"peep!"andthreescratchesonthegroundwiththeleftfoot.

theyoungonewhohadremainedbehindinthenestmadehimselfasbroadashecould,forhewastheproprietor.butthisgreatnessdidnotlastlong.inthenighttheredflamesburstthroughthewindowandseizedtheroof,thedrystrawblazeduphigh,andthewholehouse,togetherwiththeyoungsparrow,wasburned.thetwoothers,whowantedtomarry,thussavedtheirlivesbyastrokeofluck.

whenthesunroseagainandeverythinglookedasrefreshedasifithadhadaquietsleep,thereonlyremainedofthefarmhouseafewblackcharredbeamsleaningagainstthechimney,whichwasnowitsownmaster.thicksmokestillrosefromtheruins,buttherose-bushstoodyonder,fresh,blooming,anduntouched,everyflowerandeverytwigbeingreflectedintheclearwater.

"howbeautifullytherosesbloombeforetheruinedhouse,"exclaimedapasser-by."apleasanterpicturecannotbeimagined.imusthavethat."andthemantookoutofhisportfolioalittlebookwithwhiteleaves:hewasapainter,andwithhispencilhedrewthesmokinghouse,thecharredbeamsandtheoverhangingchimney,whichbentmoreandmore;intheforegroundheputthelarge,bloomingrose-bush,whichpresentedacharmingview.foritssakealonethewholepicturehadbeendrawn.

laterinthedaythetwosparrowswhohadbeenborntherecameby."whereisthehouse?"theyasked."whereisthenest?peep!allisburnedandourstrongbrothertoo.that'swhathehasnowforkeepingthenest.therosesgotoffverywell;theretheystillstandwiththeirredcheeks.theycertainlydonotmournattheirneighbours'misfortunes.idon'twanttotalktothem,anditlooksmiserablehere-that'smyopinion."andawaytheywent.

onabeautifulsunnyautumnday-onecouldalmosthavebelieveditwasstillthemiddleofsummer-therehoppedaboutinthedryclean-sweptcourtyardbeforetheprincipalentranceofthehallanumberofblack,white,andgaily-colouredpigeons,allshininginthesunlight.thepigeon-motherssaidtotheiryoungones:"standingroups,standingroups!