|THERE were six falcons living in a nest, five of whom were still too
young to fly, when it so happened that both the parent birds were shot
in one day. The young brood waited anxiously for their return; but night
came, and they were left without parents and without food.
Gray Eagle, the eldest, and the only one whose feathers had become stout
enough to enable him to leave the nest, took his place at the head of
the family and assumed the duty of stifling his brothers' cries
and providing the little household with food. In this he was very
successful. But one day, while out on a foraging excursion, he got one
of his wings broken. This was more to be regretted as the season had
arrived when they were soon to go to a southern country to pass the
winter, and the children were only waiting to become a little stronger
and more expert on the wing to set out on the journey.
Finding that their elder brother did not return, they resolved to go in
search of him. After beating up and down the country for the better part
of a whole day, they last found him, sorely wounded and unable to fly,
lodged in the upper branches of a sycamore tree.
"Brothers," said Gray Eagle, as they gathered around, questioning him
about his injuries, "an accident has befallen me, but let not this
prevent your going to a warmer climate. Winter is rapidly approaching,
and you cannot remain here. It is better that I alone should die, than
for you all to suffer on my account."
"No, no," they replied, with one voice. "We will not forsake you. We
will share your sufferings; we will abandon our journey and take care of
you as you did of us before we were able to take care of ourselves. If
the chill climate kills you, it shall kill us. Do you think we can so
soon forget your brotherly care, which has equalled a father's, and even
a mother's kindness? Whether you live or die, we will live or die with
you."
They sought out a hollow tree to winter in, and contrived to carry their
wounded nest-mate thither; and before the rigor of the season had set
in, they had, by diligence and economy, stored up food enough to carry
them through the winter months.
To make the provisions they had laid in last the better, it was agreed
among them that two of their number should go south, leaving the other
three to watch over, feed, and protect their wounded brother. So the
travelers set forth, sorry to leave home, but resolved that the first
promise of spring should bring them back again. And the three who
remained, mounting to the very peak of the tree and bearing Gray Eagle
in their arms, watched them, as they vanished away southward, till their
forms blended with the air and were wholly lost to sight.
Then Gray Eagle was propped up in a snug fork with cushions of dry
moss, and the household was set in order. The oldest of the five younger
brothers took upon himself the charge of nursing Gray Eagle, preparing
his food, bringing him water, and changing his pillows when he grew
tired of one position. He also looked to it that the house itself was
kept in a tidy condition, and that the pantry was supplied with food.
To the next brother was assigned the duty of physician, and he was to
prescribe such herbs and other medicines as the health of Gray Eagle
seemed to require. As the doctor brother had no other invalid on his
visiting-list, he devoted the time not given to the cure of his patient
to the killing of game wherewith to stock the housekeeper's larder; so
that, whatever he did, he was always busy in the line of professional
duty--killing or curing. On his hunting excursions Doctor Falcon carried
with him his youngest brother, who, being a foolish young fellow and
inexperienced in the ways of the world, it was not thought safe to trust
alone.
In due time, what with good nursing, good feeding, and good air, Gray
Eagle recovered from his wound; and he then repaid the kindness of
his brothers by giving them such advice and instruction in the art of
hunting as his age and experience qualified him to impart. As spring
advanced they began to look about for the means of replenishing their
storehouse, whose supplies were running low; and they were all quite
successful in their quest except the youngest, whose name was Peepi, or
the Pigeon-Hawk. He had of late begun to set up for himself, but being
small and foolish and feather-headed, flying hither and yonder without
any set purpose, it so happened that Peepi always came home, so to
phrase it, with an empty game-bag and his pinions terribly rumpled.
At last Gray Eagle spoke to him and demanded the cause of his ill-luck.
"It is not my smallness or weakness of body," Peepi answered, "that
prevents my bringing home provender as well as my brothers. I am all the
time on the wing, hither and thither. I kill ducks and other birds every
time I go out; but just as I get to the woods, on my way home, I am met
by a large ko-ko-ho, who robs me of my prey; and," added Peepi, with
great energy, "it's my settled opinion that the villain lies in wait for
the very purpose of doing so."
"I have no doubt you are right, Brother Peepi," rejoined Gray Eagle. "I
know this pirate--his name is White Owl; and now that I feel my strength
fully recovered, I will go out with you to-morrow and help you look
after this greedy bush-ranger."
The next day they went forth in company and arrived at a fine
fresh-water lake. Gray Eagle seated himself hard by, while Peepi started
out. The latter soon pounced upon a duck.
"Well done!" thought his brother, who saw his success; but just as
little Peepi was getting to land with his prize, up sailed a large white
owl from a tree where he, too, had been watching, and laid claim to it.
He was on the point of wresting it from Peepi, when Gray Eagle, calling
out to the intruder to stop, rushed up, fixed his talons in both sides
of the owl, and without further introduction or ceremony flew away with
him.
The little Pigeon-Hawk followed closely, with the duck under his wing,
rejoiced and happy to think that he had something to carry home at last.
He was naturally much vexed with the owl, and had no sooner delivered
over the duck to the housekeeper, than he flew in the owl's face and,
venting an abundance of reproaches, would have torn the very eyes out of
the White Owl's head in his passion.
"Softly, Peepi," said the Gray Eagle, stepping in between them. "Don't
be in such a huff, my little brother, or show so revengeful a temper. Do
you not know that we are to forgive our enemies? White Owl, you may go;
but let this be a lesson to you, not to play the tyrant over those who
may chance to be weaker than yourself."
So, after adding to this much more good advice and telling him what kind
of herbs would cure his wounds.
Gray Eagle dismissed White Owl, and the brothers sat down to supper.
The next day, betimes, before the household had fairly rubbed the
cobwebs out of the corners of their eyes, there came a knock at the
front door--which was a dry branch that lay down before the hollow of
the tree in which they lodged--and being called to come in, who should
make their appearance but the two nest-mates, who had just returned from
the South where they had been wintering. There was great rejoicing over
their return, and now that they were all happily reunited, each one soon
chose a mate and began to keep house in the woods for himself.
Spring had now revisited the North. The cold winds had all blown
themselves away, the ice had melted, the streams were open and smiled as
they looked at the blue sky once more; and the forests, far and wide, in
their green mantle, echoed every cheerful sound.
But it is in vain that spring returns, and that the heart of Nature is
opened in bounty, if we are not thankful to the Master of Life, who has
preserved us through the winter. Nor does that man answer the end for
which he was made who does not show a kind and charitable feeling to all
who are in want or sickness.
The love and harmony of Gray Eagle and his brothers continued. They
never forgot each other. Every week, on the fourth afternoon of the week
(for that was the time when they had found their wounded elder brother),
they had a meeting in the hollow of the old sycamore tree, when they
talked over family matters and advised with each other about their
affairs, as brothers should.
[Illustration: 0108]