The Bird
It was Serozha's birthday, and
he received many different
gifts; peg tops, and hobby
horses, and pictures. But
Serozha's uncle gave him a gift
that he prized above all the
rest - it was a trap for snaring
birds.
The trap was constructed in such
a way that a board was fitted on
the frame and shut down upon the
top. If seed was scattered on
the board, and the trap was put
out in the yard, the little bird
would fly down, hop upon the
board, the board would give way,
and the trap would shut with a
clap.
Serozha was delighted, and he
ran into the house to show his
mother the trap.
His mother said:
"It is not a good plaything.
What do you want to do with
birds? Why do you want to
torture them?"
"I am going to put them in a
cage," Serozha said. "They will
sing, and I will feed them."
He got some seed, scattered it
on the board, and set the trap
in the garden. And he stood by
and expected the birds to fly
down. But the birds were afraid
of him and would not come near
the cage. Serozha ran in to get
something to eat, and left the
cage.
After dinner he went to look at
it. The cage had shut, and in it
a little bird was beating
against the bars.
Serozha took up the bird, and
carried it into the house.
"Mother, I have caught a bird!"
he cried. "I think it is a
nightingale, and how its heart
beats!"
His mother said it was a wild
canary. "Be careful! Don't hurt
it - you would better let it
go."
"No," he said. "I am going to
give it something to eat and
drink."
Serozha put the bird in a cage,
and for two days gave it seed
and water, and cleaned the cage.
But on the third day he forgot
all about it, and did not change
the water.
And his mother said, "See here,
you have forgotten your bird.
You would better let it go."
Serozha thrust his hand in the
cage and began to clean it, but
the little bird was frightened
and fluttered. After Serozha had
cleaned the cage, he went to get
some water. His mother saw that
he had forgotten to shut the
cage door, and she called after
him.
"Serozha, shut up your cage,
else your bird will fly out and
hurt itself."
She had hardly spoken the words
when the bird found the door,
was delighted, spread its wings,
and flew around the room toward
the window. Serozha came running
in, picked up the bird, and put
it back in the cage. The bird
was still alive, but it lay on
its breast, with its wings
spread out, and breathed
heavily. Serozha looked and
looked at it, and began to cry.
"Mother, what can I do now?" he
asked.
"You can do nothing now," she
replied.
Serozha stayed by the cage all
day. He did nothing but look at
the bird. And all the time the
bird lay on its breast and
breathed hard and fast.
When Serozha went to bed, the
bird was dead. Serozha could not
get to sleep for a long time;
every time that he shut his eyes
he seemed to see the bird still
lying and sighing.
In the morning when Serozha went
to his cage, he saw the bird
lying on its back, with its legs
crossed, and all stiff.
After that Serozha never again
snared birds
الخميس أبريل 12, 2012 2:42 am