"Rock-a-by baby in the tree top, When the wind blows the cradle will
rock."
Helena was playing with her dolls under the Maple tree in the garden. It
was the first warm day of spring, and the little girl was glad to be
out of doors again, and to rock her babies to sleep on one of the low
branches.
But she was not the only one singing a lullaby that bright sunny
morning, for Mother Nature was singing one, too, and a soft breeze was
gently tucking some little brown cradles to and fro in the tree tops.
Some were very, very small, and others were larger, but each held a
wee leaf baby, fast asleep. The next time Helena came out to play, the
babies in the treetop were waking up, and she could see them in their
dainty green nightdresses, peeping out at the world. During the next
week they grew a great deal, and one of them crept out of their cradles
which fell down to the ground, leaving the babies still up in the tree
top.
By the time Spring went away, the babies had grown large and strong, and
spread beautiful green parasols to give shade to their friends through
the hot, dusty days of summer. When Autumn came, Mother Nature gave
them a holiday, and how pretty they looked in their gay gowns as they
frolicked with the wind!
Then they said good-by to the Maple tree, and went dancing and whirling
over the fields to meet King Winter. When Helena looked into their old
homes on the tree, she found some more tiny brown cradles, and knew that
in them were new leaf babies that sleep safely til Spring comes again to
visit Earthdom, and wakes each "baby in the tree top."