ANIMAL STORIES 169

little birds that sat near him. He thought it was a shame to kill so many, when they had already more birds than they could ever eat. So he stooped down and whispered to a very little bird:

“Open your eyes.”

The little bird opened one eye very cau- tiously, fearing he might be blinded. Imagine his horror when he saw what the wicked Badger was doing!

“We are all being killed! We are all being killed!” he screamed.

Then all the birds opened their eyes; and when they saw what was happening, they began to fly about in the greatest confusion, scream— ing with terror.

The little brother dropped down, making be- lieve he had been knocked over in the confusion, so that the door sprang open wide, and the birds flew over him and began to escape. The Badger, in his rage, seized as many as he could and killed them. While the little brother, so that the Badger would not suspect he had purposely opened the door, grasped the last little bird by the legs, and held him fast.

But he could not deceive the wily old Badger, who knew very well what had happened. He gave the little brother a good shaking for his treachery; and then he forgave him, for he saw that they had all the birds they could use.