The Tree-Dwellers Part 7

Do you know any one who has a collection of birds' eggs?

What would happen to the birds if we all made collections?

How do birds help us?

How do we help them?

How can we coax them to live near us?

[Ill.u.s.tration: "_The bear started up and growled_"]

_Alone on the Wooded Hills_

Although Bodo was glad to take care of himself, he often wished that his mother were near.

Sometimes he called to her.

When she heard his call she would answer him.

Then he would swing on the branches until he found her.

But sometimes she was too far away to hear.

Then he listened in vain for her answering call.

Sometimes it was hard work to keep back the tears.

Once he sobbed so loud that a sleepy bear heard him.

The bear started up and began to growl.

Bodo hid in the branches of a tall tree.

He stayed there until the bear went away.

Then he was very hungry.

As he started out to find something to eat, he heard a rustling among the branches.

He listened.

Bodo hoped that his mother was coming.

But it was only a boy who was hunting birds' eggs.

Bodo watched him climb among the branches.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "_It was only a boy who was hunting birds' eggs_"]

He watched him suck the eggs that he found.

How he wished that he might find some eggs!

He began to look for some.

In a moment he saw a bird's nest above him.

He climbed up the branch and peeped into the nest.

There were three beautiful eggs.

His eyes danced with joy.

He sucked the eggs.

Then he smacked his lips and hunted for more.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "_There were three beautiful eggs_"]

THINGS TO DO

_Show what the bear did when he heard Bodo sobbing._ _Draw the picture of the bear._ _Model a bird's nest in clay._ _Ask some one to read you the story of a little baby who lived with some wolves. It is in the Jungle Book._

XIV.

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

Do you think that Bodo ever had any bread and sugar?

Did he ever have any candy?

What could he find that was sweet?

How do bees make their honey?

Where do they store it?

_How Bodo Found Wild Honey_

Bodo never had any candy.

n.o.body knew how to make it.

But he knew where to find the wild honey.

He had found some one day in a hollow tree.

He learned to track a bee home to its tree.

When he found a bee-tree he robbed the swarm.

Sometimes the bees stung him, but he was used to getting hurt.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "_The bees stung him_"]

THINGS TO DO

_Watch the bees as they gather honey from the flowers._ _What flowers do they visit?_ _Do all bees look alike? Do all bees do the same kind of work?_ _Draw a picture that will show how they work among the flowers._ _See if you can find some wild honey._

XV.

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

Do you think that the wild horses had leaders for their herds?

What would the leader have to do?

What might happen to the horses that did not follow the leader?

What could Bodo learn by watching the wild horses?

_Bodo Follows the Wild Horses_

Two or three years pa.s.sed by.

Bodo was now about ten years old.

He still lived on the wooded hills.

One afternoon he went to the river.