登陆注册
26270600000012

第12章 CHAPTER 2(6)

There was an hour of angry recrimination before sweet peace brooded again in Rainbow Bottom. The newly mated pair finally made up; the females speedily resumed their coquetting, and forgot the captivating stranger--all save the poor little one that had been kissed by accident. She never had been kissed before, and never had expected that she would be, for she was a creature of many misfortunes of every nature.

She had been hatched from a fifth egg to begin with; and every one knows the disadvantage of beginning life with four sturdy older birds on top of one. It was a meager egg, and a feeble baby that pipped its shell. The remainder of the family stood and took nearly all the food so that she almost starved in the nest, and she never really knew the luxury of a hearty meal until her elders had flown. That lasted only a few days; for the others went then, and their parents followed them so far afield that the poor little soul, clamouring alone in the nest, almost perished. Hunger-driven, she climbed to the edge and exercised her wings until she managed some sort of flight to a neighbouring bush. She missed the twig and fell to the ground, where she lay cold and shivering.

She cried pitifully, and was almost dead when a brown-faced, barefoot boy, with a fishing-pole on his shoulder, passed and heard her.

"Poor little thing, you are almost dead," he said. "I know what I'll do with you. I'll take you over and set you in the bushes where I heard those other redbirds, and then your ma will feed you."

The boy turned back and carefully set her on a limb close to one of her brothers, and there she got just enough food to keep her alive.

So her troubles continued. Once a squirrel chased her, and she saved herself by crowding into a hole so small her pursuer could not follow. The only reason she escaped a big blue racer when she went to take her first bath, was that a hawk had his eye on the snake and snapped it up at just the proper moment to save the poor, quivering little bird. She was left so badly frightened that she could not move for a long time.

All the tribulations of birdland fell to her lot. She was so frail and weak she lost her family in migration, and followed with some strangers that were none too kind. Life in the South had been full of trouble. Once a bullet grazed her so closely she lost two of her wing quills, and that made her more timid than ever. Coming North, she had given out again and finally had wandered into Rainbow Bottom, lost and alone.

She was such a shy, fearsome little body, the females all flouted her; and the males never seemed to notice that there was material in her for a very fine mate. Every other female cardinal in Rainbow Bottom had several males courting her, but this poor, frightened, lonely one had never a suitor; and she needed love so badly! Now she had been kissed by this magnificent stranger!

Of course, she knew it really was not her kiss. He had intended it for the bold creature that had answered his challenge, but since it came to her, it was hers, in a way, after all. She hid in the underbrush for the remainder of the day, and was never so frightened in all her life. She brooded over it constantly, and morning found her at the down curve of the horseshoe, straining her ears for the rarest note she ever had heard. All day she hid and waited, and the following days were filled with longing, but he never came again.

So one morning, possessed with courage she did not understand, and filled with longing that drove her against her will, she started down the river. For miles she sneaked through the underbrush, and watched and listened; until at last night came, and she returned to Rainbow Bottom. The next morning she set out early and flew to the spot from which she had turned back the night before. From there she glided through the bushes and underbrush, trembling and quaking, yet pushing stoutly onward, straining her ears for some note of the brilliant stranger's.

It was mid-forenoon when she reached the region of the sumac, and as she hopped warily along, only a short distance from her, full and splendid, there burst the voice of the singer for whom she was searching. She sprang into air, and fled a mile before she realized that she was flying. Then she stopped and listened, and rolling with the river, she heard those bold true tones. Close to earth, she went back again, to see if, unobserved, she could find a spot where she might watch the stranger that had kissed her. When at last she reached a place where she could see him plainly, his beauty was so bewildering, and his song so enticing that she gradually hopped closer and closer without knowing she was moving.

High in the sumac the Cardinal had sung until his throat was parched, and the fountain of hope was almost dry. There was nothing save defeat from overwhelming numbers in Rainbow Bottom.

He had paraded, and made all the music he ever had been taught, and improvised much more. Yet no one had come to seek him. Was it of necessity to be the Limberlost then? This one day more he would retain his dignity and his location. He tipped, tilted, and flirted. He whistled, and sang, and trilled. Over the lowland and up and down the shining river, ringing in every change he could invent, he sent for the last time his prophetic message, "Wet year! Wet year!"

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 企业公民:从责任到能力

    企业公民:从责任到能力

    “企业公民”概念肇始于西方,是指将社会基本价值与日常商业实践、运作和政策相整合的企业。一爪“好”的企业公民,需要在商业实践中善待在商业生态网络中的各个层面的、相互联系的利益相关者:顾客、员工、社会(社区)、环境与资源、合作伙伴以及股东。当今社会,商业势力是最重要的社会主导力量,企业享有空前的超级话语地位,与之相伴随,各个层面的利益相关者对企业自身的能力建设提出了更多的要求和期待。企业作为一种社会“器官”,将不得不面对更加严格的外在约束和自我规范,而企业公民的能力建设问题,也随之被凸现、放大和提到了议事日程上。
  • 农女追夫记:康忙北鼻

    农女追夫记:康忙北鼻

    大龄盛女被未婚夫和小三陷害因此穿越架空朝代,昔日高高在上的她瞬间沦落为农家一女。老爹至今不见尸骨,娘三人过着艰苦的日子。爷爷不疼奶奶不爱,婶婶肥如猪同类,叔叔好色成性。啥?分家?可以啊,应该是我们的你千万不要私吞,因为我怕你会噎死。救下一个奄奄一息的人,她可怜的着他,“放心,你要是想以身相许的话…我不会要你的。因为我家太穷了,我怕养不起你…”他:“……”他根本没想以身相许好不好!“你不是说不需要我以身相许的吗!”他无语。“是啊,但我没说我不能对你负责呀!”“……””
  • 苍穹之行

    苍穹之行

    苍穹大界,五域分立。十万年前苍穹界主携一界之力,同界外异族展开了‘卫界之战’。同样这场历经千年的战争在界外异族眼里却是‘灭界之战’!千年界战,双方打得昏天暗地!最终以苍穹界主一方的胜利而告终!却也付出了惨重的代价。界主以身封闭界道,苍穹大界也在这场惨烈的战争中被打得支离破碎,化为五域;界外异族,不见踪影。自此、苍穹碎、五域立;界主殒、乱世现……看少年江行,一人独行,如何一步步从穹顶之下来到穹顶之上!
  • 只因是男儿

    只因是男儿

    无言走过一程一程,每天见过不同的人。谁是谁非谁知对错,有你有我打开心门。我的心门为谁开?我在等待谁的到来?岁月无情为谁待?谁会可怜谁的失败?花落花开,归去归来,谁能逃过命运的安排?我不等待,也不徘徊,我要寻找梦想的期待!
  • 快穿之女系统

    快穿之女系统

    即将毕业的大四女生严一诺,被人从背后撞倒,却获得了她此生最大的金手指N系统,从此就开始了穿越各个小说电影里完成任务的生活,并且获得技能。还有,凑够积分赶快回家,再不回家她就成大龄剩女了。。。
  • 幻想之全能师祖

    幻想之全能师祖

    他,拥有着世界上最大的权力!他,拥有着世界上最多的财富!他,创造了世界上最强的组织!然后,地球的毁灭,让他失去了所有,唯一留下的就是寄生在他身上的系统以及自己的一身强大的力量。在系统的帮助下,他逃脱了毁灭,来到了另一个世界!他,将再次征服,他就是......传说!
  • 我的学姐是腹黑

    我的学姐是腹黑

    一个普通宅男与腹黑学姐、眼镜娘班长、骄傲学妹不得不说的校园爆笑录。
  • 天国的水晶宫

    天国的水晶宫

    我和其他人有着不一样的世界。在其他人的世界中:我是秩序的捍卫者,拯救世界的英雄,黎明同盟盟主,龙骑士团团长,学识联盟首席大魔导师,联邦元帅,南北两大帝国亲王。在我的世界中:因为这个世界木有电脑网络游戏机供我宅,所以我只能一边开水晶宫一边拯救世界玩真人RPG聊以解闷。口胡版简介:这是一个自以为是技术宅,其实是死宅的穿越者一边没羞没臊地开着水晶宫顺便拯救世界的故事。这是一个很有爱的死宅在没有爱的世界中心大声呼唤爱的故事。
  • 觅梦他乡

    觅梦他乡

    一场大火把刘灿的家烧的支离破碎,怀着满腔的怒火,他不得不提前辍学外出务工。小城市出生,大城市奋斗,这是一条心酸的回家路。走得再远都是为了回家
  • 异界植物大军

    异界植物大军

    某人:“谁?哇!偷我的土豆?喂!别跑!不然你会有报应的!”某贼:“切!哄小孩哪,不让我跑,我偏跑!”几声剧烈的轰鸣声后,某人望着那个硝烟中全身焦黑的身影摇头喊道:“唉!何必呢?何苦呢?你要吃土豆跟我说吗,你不说我怎么知道呢?其实我地里的土豆雷还是很多的,你要吃几个我也不会有意见的……”因玩《植物大战僵尸》而穿越异界的某人,依靠着《植物大战僵尸》中的植物在异界会有什么样的表现呢?请看《异界植物大军》。