I. THE FINDING OF THE MAGIC FLOWER


It was June and it was morning. The sky was clear and the sun shone
bright and warm. The still air was filled with the sweet odor of
blossoming flowers. To little Luke, sitting on the doorstep of the
farmhouse and looking out over the fresh fields and green meadows, the
whole earth seemed brimful of happiness and joy.

From the bough of an apple tree on the lawn O-pee-chee the Robin chanted
his morning song. "Te rill, te roo, the sky is blue," sang he.

From the lilac bush Kil-loo the Song Sparrow trilled, "Sweet, sweet,
sweet, sweet, the air is sweet."

Over in the meadows Zeet the Lark fluttered down upon a low bush and
sang, "Come with me, come and see," over and over. Then he dropped down
into the grass and ran off to the nest where his mate was sitting on
five speckled eggs.

Bob-o'-Lincoln went quite out of his wits with the joy of life. He flew
high up into the air, and then came fluttering and falling, falling and
quivering down among the buttercups and daisies. He was very proud of
himself and wanted everybody to know just who he was. So he sang his own
name over and over. With his name-song he mixed up a lot of runs and
trills and thrills that did not mean anything to anybody but himself and
his little mate nestling below him in the grass. To her they meant,
"Life is love, and love is joy."