The book of nature myths . asleep. In the morning the men came to punishhim. How do you know that I killed theox ? he asked. Because the bird of truth says that youdid, they answered. 54 THE BOOK OF NATURE MYTHS. The bird of truth! he cried. Thatparrot is no bird of truth. He will nottell the truth even about what happenedlast night. Ask him if the moon wasshining. Did the moon shine last night ? themen asked. No, answered the parrot. There wasno moon, for the rain fell, and there was agreat storm in the heavens. I heard thethunder half the night. This bird has always told the truth be-fore, s
The book of nature myths . asleep. In the morning the men came to punishhim. How do you know that I killed theox ? he asked. Because the bird of truth says that youdid, they answered. 54 THE BOOK OF NATURE MYTHS. The bird of truth! he cried. Thatparrot is no bird of truth. He will nottell the truth even about what happenedlast night. Ask him if the moon wasshining. Did the moon shine last night ? themen asked. No, answered the parrot. There wasno moon, for the rain fell, and there was agreat storm in the heavens. I heard thethunder half the night. This bird has always told the truth be-fore, said the villagers, but there was nostorm last night and the moon was shall we do to punish the parrot ? they asked the thief. I think we will no longer let him livein our homes, answered the thief. Yes, said the others, he must flyaway to the forest, and even when there is astorm, he can no longer come to our homes,because we know now that he is a bird of alying tongue. So the parrot flew away sorrowfully into. THIS BIRD HAS ALWAYS TOLD THE TRUTH 56 THE BOOK OF NATURE MYTHS. the lonely forest. He met a mocking-birdand told him what had happened. Why did you not repeat mens wordsas I do ? asked the mocking-bird. Menalways think their own words are good. But the mans words were not true,said the parrot. That is nothing, replied the mock-ing-bird, laughing. Say what they say,and they will think you are a wonderfulbird. Yes, I see, said the parrot thought-fully, and I will never again be punishedfor telling the truth. I will only repeat thewords of others. THE STORY OF THE FIRST MOCKING-BIRD. Far away in the forest there once livedthe most cruel man on all the earth. Hedid not like the Indians, and he said to him-self, Some day I will be ruler of them he thought, There are many brave THE FIRST MOCKING-BIRD. 57 warriors among the Indians, and I must firstput them to death. He was cunning as well as cruel, and hesoon found a way to kill the warriors. Hebuilt some
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectanimals, bookyear1902
