[CHAPTER V] _The Oriole's Story_
"We are really very happy in this forest," said an oriole that sat nextto Twinkle, "and we would have no fears at all did not the men withguns, who are called hunters, come here now and then to murder us. Theyare terribly wild and ferocious creatures, who have no hearts at all."
"Oh, they _must_ have hearts," said Twinkle, "else they couldn't live.For one's heart has to beat to keep a person alive, you know."
"Perhaps it's their gizzards that beat," replied the oriole,reflectively, "for they are certainly heartless and very wicked. Acousin of mine, Susie Oriole, had a very brave and handsome husband.They built a pretty nest together and Susie laid four eggs in it thatwere so perfect that she was very proud of them.
"The eggs were nearly ready to hatch when a great man appeared in theforest and discovered Susie's nest. Her brave husband foughtdesperately to protect their home, but the cruel man shot him, and hefell to the ground dead. Even then Susie would not leave her prettyeggs, and when the man climbed the tree to get them she screamed andtried to peck out his eyes. Usually we orioles are very timid, youknow; so you can well understand how terrified Susie was to fightagainst this giant foe. But he had a club in his hand, with which hedealt my poor cousin such a dreadful blow that she was sent whirlingthrough the air and sank half unconscious into a bush a few yards away.
"After this the man stole the eggs from the nest, and also picked upthe dead body of Susie's husband and carried it away with him. Susierecovered somewhat from the blow she had received, and when she saw hereggs and her poor dead husband being taken away, she managed to flutteralong after the man and followed him until he came to the edge of theforest. There he had a horse tied to a tree, and he mounted upon thebeast's back and rode away through the open country. Susie followedhim, just far enough away to keep the man in sight, without beingnoticed herself.
"By and bye he came to a big house, which he entered, closing the doorbehind him. Susie flew into a tree beside the house and waitedsorrowfully but in patience for a chance to find her precious onesagain.
"The days passed drearily away, one after another, but in about a weekmy cousin noticed that one of the windows of the house had been leftopen. So she boldly left her tree and flew in at the window, andluckily none of the people who lived in the house happened to be in theroom.
"Imagine Susie's surprise when she saw around the sides of the roommany birds sitting silently upon limbs cut from trees, and among themher own husband, as proud and beautiful as he had ever been before thecruel man had killed him! She quickly flew to the limb and perchedbeside her loved one.
"'Oh, my darling!' she cried, 'how glad I am to have found you again,and to see you alive and well when I had mourned you as dead. Come withme at once, and we will return to our old home in the forest.'
"But the bird remained motionless and made no reply to her lovingwords. She thrust her bill beside his and tried to kiss him, but he didnot respond to the caress and his body was stiff and cold.
"Then Susie uttered a cry of grief, and understood the truth. Herhusband was indeed dead, but had been stuffed and mounted upon the limbto appear as he had in life. Small wires had been pushed through hislegs to make his poor body stand up straight, and to Susie's horror shediscovered that his eyes were only bits of glass! All the other birdsin the room were stuffed in the same way. They looked as if they werealive, at the first glance; but each body was cold and every voicemute. They were mere mockeries of the beautiful birds that thisheartless and cruel man had deprived of their joyous lives.
"Susie's loving heart was nearly bursting with pain as she slowlyfluttered toward the open window by which she had entered. But on herway a new anguish overtook her, for she noticed a big glass caseagainst the wall in which were arranged clusters of eggs stolen frombirds of almost every kind. Yes; there were her own lovely eggs,scarcely an inch from her face, but separated from her by a stout glassthat could not be broken, although she madly dashed her body against itagain and again.
"Finally, realizing her helplessness, poor Susie left the room by theopen window and flew back to the forest, where she told us all theterrible thing she had seen. No one was able to comfort her, for herloving heart was broken; and after that she would often fly away to thehouse to peer through the window at her eggs and her beautiful husband.
"One day she did not return, and after waiting for her nearly two weekswe sent the bluejay to see what had become of her. Our policeman foundthe house, and also found the window of the room open.
"He boldly entered, and discovered Susie and her husband sitting sideby side upon the dried limb, their bodies both stiff and dead. The manhad caught the poor wife at last, and the lovers were reunited indeath.
"Also Policeman Bluejay found his grandfather's mummy in this room, andthe stuffed mummies of many other friends he had known in the forest.So he was very sorrowful when he returned to us, and from that time wehave feared the heartless men more than ever."
"It's a sad story," sighed Twinkle, "and I've no doubt it is a trueone. But all men are not so bad, I'm sure."
"All men who enter the forest are," answered the oriole, positively."For they only come here to murder and destroy those who are helplessbefore their power, but have never harmed them in the least. If Godloves the birds, as I am sure He does, why do you suppose He made theirferocious enemies, the men?"
Twinkle did not reply, but she felt a little ashamed.