THE LITTLE NURSES.
Minnie almost fell asleep on her way back to the elm, and found it hard
to keep up with yellow-bird, who flew on briskly as ever.
Her long morning journey, the labor and hurry of making her cloak, as
well as the effort to bring the humming-bird home, and the party
afterwards, the dancing and late hours, tired her so much--so much that
she feared all the rest in the world would not make her strong again.
And when the tree was reached, Minnie's friends did not, as usual, offer
her their nest. They must keep it now for the eggs. Cold and weary as
she was, the little girl must lie down among damp leaves, with no other
bed than a mossy place which she found on the rough bark of the elm.
In the morning she still felt tired, lame, and stiff, yet her spirits
came back with the sunshine, and when she told yellow-bird she had not
strength enough to fly away with him, he stayed and sung to her a while,
and afterwards brought her delicious berries from the wood, all sweet
and ripe, and cool with dew.
With such an attentive friend to supply her wants, it was not very hard
to sit quietly upon her couch of moss, so green and velvety, with
sunshine all about her on the leaves, and the pleasant prospect below.
You will remember that the tree was full of inhabitants, and our Minnie
had made friends with almost all of them. When well and active, she had
never passed them without a pleasant word, or at least a nod of welcome;
and, now that she was sick, they were most happy to sit and talk with
her, or offer their assistance.
They brought her presents, each in his kind. The bee came up from among
the clover-blossoms, to place clear drops of honey on the leaf beside
his little friend. The silent ant stopped a moment to tell the news, and
presented a morsel of sugar which she had hoarded in her nest till it
was brown with age. Indigo-bird brought a berry, blue as his wings. Some
of the birds brought good fat angle-worms or snails, which would be
dainty morsels to them. These Minnie laid aside for her friend Mr.
Yellow-bird, although she thanked the givers politely, as if what they
brought were her own favorite food.
This was not deceitful, because what Minnie enjoyed was the thoughtful
kindness of her friends, and not their gifts. The berries were sweet, to
be sure, but their friendship was sweeter.
Master Squirrel came among the rest. He and a spider of his
acquaintance had made Minnie a beautiful parasol, with the
humming-bird's bill for a handle, and a wild rose for the top.
The pink cup of this flower, turned downward as it was, cast such a glow
upon Minnie's pale face, that Master Squirrel thought he had never
before seen her look so handsome.
Soon, tired of listening to his coarse compliments, the little girl
asked what else it was that he kept so nicely covered in his hands.
"O, that's my mother's offering!" he replied. "How the old woman would
have scolded if I had forgotten to give it to you!"
"Pray, let me have it. How kind your mother always is!"
"Except when her nest is too clean, eh? Well, she saw me working over
the humming-bird's carcass, and thought, as the meat was fresh, perhaps
you'd like a scrap cooked for your dinner."
"Cooked meat! O, I haven't tasted a morsel since I left my father's
house!" said Minnie, in delight. "Where could your mother have found the
fire, though?"
"Not far off the woods are burning,--took fire in the dry season, as
they often do,--and there were plenty of coals; so madam cut off the
humming-bird's wing, and broiled it--O, my!--till it smells so nice that
it made my mouth water to bring it to you!"
He lifted the cover, and there, on a green leaf, lay the dainty wing,
all crisp and smoking now. Minnie relished her dinner more than words
can tell.