MOUSE.
Before Minnie was strong again, yellow-bird's eggs hatched, and both he
and his mate were busy and anxious, all the time, with taking care of
their nest full of little ones. She did not see her friends so often as
formerly, and, when they came, their visits were hurried and short.
And, one by one, her other acquaintances grew forgetful, for birds and
insects don't have such good memories as we, you know. Each was occupied
with his own cares and amusements. Perhaps the truth was that they had
grown tired of Minnie, as you grow tired, in time, of your prettiest
playthings.
She felt all these changes. She remembered sadly what Master Squirrel
had said, that his mother thought company a great deal of trouble, and
herself, though a cunning body, of no use to any one.
What if yellow-bird and his mate should begin to feel the same? She
determined not to stay and trouble them any longer, after they both had
been so kind; but where in the great world could she go for a home? Who
would feed, and comfort, and love her? Ah! how sadly she remembered the
dear mother who had made it all her care to watch over and supply her
children's wants!
Every creature in the wood had a home and friends, except herself! And
yet none of these homes were so pleasant, none of these friends so sweet
and loving, as the ones she had foolishly thrown away.
"Ah!" thought Minnie, as in the dusky twilight she lay swinging on a
lonely bough of the elm, "Ah! if I could whisper loud enough for every
little boy and girl on earth to hear, I'd say, 'Be happy in your own
home, with your own friends; for there are no others like them--none,
none, none!'"
Though these sad feelings were weighing on the heart, the rocking of
the bough and sighing of the evening wind among the leaves lulled Minnie
soon asleep.
She awoke in a terrible storm. She was drenched with rain, which pelted
like pebbles, in sharp, quick drops, beating the leaves, while the wind
dashed the boughs together, and made Minnie fear that, though clinging
with all her strength to the branch, she must fall.
And she did fall into the wet grass far below, and was stunned, perhaps,
for she did not awake until morning.
Then the sun shone brightly once more, the elm above her glittered with
sparkling drops, and the first sound which Minnie heard was
yellow-bird's song of joy that his little ones were safe after all the
wind and rain.
"He has forgotten me, or he would not be so glad!" she whispered to
herself. Then came the thought, "Perhaps he is happier because I am
swept away out of his sight!" and with this she began to cry.
"What's the matter?" asked a little mouse, that was running about in the
grass, picking up worms and flies which had perished in the rain.
"What's the matter? Have my proud cousins, the squirrels, been treating
you badly again?"
"No, they all do more for me than I can do for them; but, dear little
mouse, I've stayed in the woods too long. Every one is tired of me.
Couldn't you show me the way back to my mother's house?"
"Why, Minnie, _I_ am not tired of you. Pray, don't go home yet. Come and
make me a visit in my snug little hole, so quiet underground. No storms
reach there. I shall not whisk you about as squirrel has done; nor take
you long, weary journeys through the air, like yellow-bird. I'll bring
you cheese, and meal, and melon-seeds, till you grow rosy as your little
sister Alice."
"My sister! What can you know about her, pray?"
"Wasn't I at your house this morning? I have, not far from this very
wood, a passage-way underground that leads into your mother's pantry.
Come to my nest, and you'll hear news from home."