第16章TheWillow-WrenandtheBear

第16章thewillow-wrenandthebear

onceinsummer-timethebearandthewolfwerewalkingintheforest,andthebearheardabirdsingingsobeautifullythathesaid:“brotherwolf,whatbirdisitthatsingssowell?”“thatisthekingofbirds,”saidthewolf,“beforewhomwemustbowdown.”inrealitythebirdwasthewillow-wren.“ifthat'sthecase,”saidthebear,“ishouldverymuchliketoseehisroyalpalace;come,takemethither.”“thatisnotdonequiteasyouseemtothink,”saidthewolf;“youmustwaituntilthequeencomes.”soonafterwards,thequeenarrivedwithsomefoodinherbeak,andthelordkingcametoo,andtheybegantofeedtheiryoungones.thebearwouldhavelikedtogoatonce,butthewolfheldhimbackbythesleeve,andsaid:“no,youmustwaituntilthelordandladyqueenhavegoneawayagain.”sotheytookstockoftheholewherethenestlay,andtrottedaway.thebear,however,couldnotrestuntilhehadseentheroyalpalace,andwhenashorttimehadpassed,wenttoitagain.thekingandqueenhadjustflownout,sohepeepedinandsawfiveorsixyoungoneslyingthere.“isthattheroyalpalace?”criedthebear;“itisawretchedpalace,andyouarenotking'schildren,youaredisreputablechildren!”whentheyoungwrensheardthat,theywerefrightfullyangry,andscreamed:“no,thatwearenot!ourparentsarehonestpeople!bear,youwillhavetopayforthat!”  thebearandthewolfgrewuneasy,andturnedbackandwentintotheirholes.theyoungwillow-wrens,however,continuedtocryandscream,andwhentheirparentsagainbroughtfoodtheysaid:“wewillnotsomuchastouchonefly'sleg,no,notifweweredyingofhunger,untilyouhavesettledwhetherwearerespectablechildrenornot;thebearhasbeenhereandhasinsultedus!”thentheoldkingsaid:“beeasy,heshallbepunished,”andheatonceflewwiththequeentothebear'scave,andcalledin:“oldgrowler,whyhaveyouinsultedmychildren?youshallsufferforit—wewillpunishyoubyabloodywar.”thuswarwasannouncedtothebear,andallfour-footedanimalsweresummonedtotakepartinit,oxen,asses,cows,deer,andeveryotheranimaltheearthcontained.andthewillow-wrensummonedeverythingwhichflewintheair,notonlybirds,largeandsmall,butmidges,andhornets,beesandflieshadtocome.

whenthetimecameforthewartobegin,thewillow-wrensentoutspiestodiscoverwhowastheenemy'scommander-in-chief.thegnat,whowasthemostcrafty,flewintotheforestwheretheenemywasassembled,andhidherselfbeneathaleafofthetreewherethepasswordwastobeannounced.therestoodthebear,andhecalledthefoxbeforehimandsaid:“fox,youarethemostcunningofallanimals,youshallbegeneralandleadus.”“good,”saidthefox,“butwhatsignalshallweagreeupon?”nooneknewthat,sothefoxsaid:“ihaveafinelongbushytail,whichalmostlookslikeaplumeofredfeathers.wheniliftmytailupquitehigh,allisgoingwell,andyoumustcharge;butifiletithangdown,runawayasfastasyoucan.”whenthegnathadheardthat,sheflewawayagain,andrevealedeverything,downtotheminutestdetail,tothewillow-wren.whendaybroke,andthebattlewastobegin,allthefour-footedanimalscamerunningupwithsuchanoisethattheearthtrembled.thewillow-wrenwithhisarmyalsocameflyingthroughtheairwithsuchahumming,andwhirring,andswarmingthateveryonewasuneasyandafraid,andonbothsidestheyadvancedagainsteachother.butthewillow-wrensentdownthehornet,withorderstosettlebeneaththefox'stail,andstingwithallhismight.whenthefoxfeltthefirststing,hestartedsothatheliftedoneleg,frompain,butheboreit,andstillkepthistailhighintheair;atthesecondsting,hewasforcedtoputitdownforamoment;atthethird,hecouldholdoutnolonger,screamed,andputhistailbetweenhislegs.whentheanimalssawthat,theythoughtallwaslost,andbegantoflee,eachintohishole,andthebirdshadwonthebattle.

thenthekingandqueenflewhometotheirchildrenandcried:“children,rejoice,eatanddrinktoyourheart'scontent,wehavewonthebattle!”buttheyoungwrenssaid:“wewillnoteatyet,thebearmustcometothenest,andbegforpardonandsaythatwearehonourablechildren,beforewewilldothat.”thenthewillow-wrenflewtothebear'sholeandcried:“growler,youaretocometothenesttomychildren,andbegtheirpardon,orelseeveryribofyourbodyshallbebroken.”sothebearcreptthitherinthegreatestfear,andedtheirpardon.andnowatlasttheyoungwrensweresatisfied,andsatdowntogetherandateanddrankandmademerrytillquitelateintothenight.