"Fly away, little pigeons!" he cried; and he tossed them up toward the
sky. "Fly away, and carry my love to my little daughter!"

Fleet Wing, and Sweet Voice spread their wings joyfully, for they knew
that they were free! free! and they wanted to go home.

Everywhere they saw green woods, instead of the red roofs and shining
windows of the town, and Sweet Voice was afraid; but Fleet Wing said:--

"I saw these woods from the tall church steeple. Home is not so far away
as we thought."

Then they lost no time in talking, but turned their heads homeward; and
as they flew the little gray squirrels that ran about in the woods
called out to ask them to play, but the pigeons could not stay.

The wood dove heard them, and called from her tree: "Little cousins,
come in!" But the pigeons thanked her and hurried on.

"Home is not so far away," said Fleet Wing; but he began to fear that he
had missed the way, and Sweet Voice was so tired that she begged him to
fly on alone.

[Illustration: The little pigeons were taken in to see the king's
daughter.]

Fleet Wing would not listen to this; and, as they talked, they came to a
little stream of water with green ferns growing all about, and they knew
that it must be the very stream that Father Pigeon loved. Then they
cooled their tired feet in the fresh water, and cooed for joy; for they