it.

And in a bush by the roadside, Hepzebiah spied the brown thrush's nest. His
eggs were blue and spotted with brown.

And in the elderberry tree they found the grey cat-bird's nest. He was a
funny bird, always crying like a lost pussy. And his eggs were green-blue.

So in the fields and the woods Jehosophat, Marmaduke and Hepzebiah saw
all kinds of birds and all kinds of nests and all kinds of eggs. They
saw them because their eyes were bright and sharp as yours must be too
when you go into the beautiful country.

And from the eggs funny little birds were born and grew up and flew and
sang.

And so the three happy children decided that the really true fairy stories
of Mother Nature were the prettiest of all.

And oh--we almost forgot! Perhaps we can tell the rest before that
Little-Clock-with-the-Wise-Face-on-the-Mantel tells us to stop.

Over near Neighbour Brown's fence they were peeping through the green
leaves at the song-sparrow's nest. Mother was with them and they saw
someone come out of their neighbour's house.

"Wouldn't you like to see her?" the strange lady whispered to Mother.

"Oh yes," Mother whispered back, "but they mustn't wake her up."