askedtheyoungstorks.

"no,certainlynot,"saidthemother."iwillteachyoutofly,andwhenyouhavelearnt,wewillflyintothemeadows,andpayavisittothefrogs,whowillbowthemselvestousinthewater,andcry'croak,croak,'andthenweshalleatthemup;thatwillbefun."

"andwhatnext?"askedtheyoungstorks.

"then,"repliedthemother,"allthestorksinthecountrywillassembletogether,andgothroughtheirautumnmanoeuvres,sothatitisveryimportantforeveryonetoknowhowtoflyproperly.iftheydonot,thegeneralwillthrustthemthroughwithhisbeak,andkillthem.thereforeyoumusttakepainsandlearn,soastobereadywhenthedrillingbegins."

"thenwemaybekilledafterall,astheboyssay;andhark!theyaresingingagain."

"listentome,andnottothem,"saidthemotherstork."afterthegreatreviewisover,weshallflyawaytowarmcountriesfarfromhence,wheretherearemountainsandforests.toegypt,whereweshallseethree-corneredhousesbuiltofstone,withpointedtopsthatreachnearlytotheclouds.theyarecalledpyramids,andareolderthanastorkcouldimagine;andinthatcountry,thereisariverthatoverflowsitsbanks,andthengoesback,leavingnothingbutmire;therewecanwalkabout,andeatfrogsinabundance."

"oh,o-h!"criedtheyoungstorks.

"yes,itisadelightfulplace;thereisnothingtodoalldaylongbuteat,andwhilewearesowelloffoutthere,inthiscountrytherewillnotbeasinglegreenleafonthetrees,andtheweatherwillbesocoldthatthecloudswillfreeze,andfallontheearthinlittlewhiterags."thestorkmeantsnow,butshecouldnotexplainitinanyotherway.

"willthenaughtyboysfreezeandfallinpieces?"askedtheyoungstorks.

"no,theywillnotfreezeandfallintopieces,"saidthemother,"buttheywillbeverycold,andbeobligedtositalldayinadark,gloomyroom,whileweshallbeflyingaboutinforeignlands,wheretherearebloomingflowersandwarmsunshine."

timepassedon,andtheyoungstorksgrewsolargethattheycouldstanduprightinthenestandlookaboutthem.thefatherbroughtthem,everyday,beautifulfrogs,littlesnakes,andallkindsofstork-daintiesthathecouldfind.andthen,howfunnyitwastoseethetrickshewouldperformtoamusethem.hewouldlayhisheadquiteroundoverhistail,andclatterwithhisbeak,asifithadbeenarattle;andthenhewouldtellthemstoriesallaboutthemarshesandfens.

"come,"saidthemotheroneday,"nowyoumustlearntofly."andallthefouryoungoneswereobligedtocomeoutonthetopoftheroof.oh,howtheytotteredatfirst,andwereobligedtobalancethemselveswiththeirwings,ortheywouldhavefallentothegroundbelow.

"lookatme,"saidthemother,"youmustholdyourheadsinthisway,andplaceyourfeetso.once,twice,once,twice-thatisit.nowyouwillbeabletotakecareofyourselvesintheworld."

thensheflewalittledistancefromthem,andtheyoungonesmadeaspringtofollowher;butdowntheyfellplump,fortheirbodieswerestilltooheavy.

"idon'twanttofly,"saidoneoftheyoungstorks,creepingbackintothenest."idon'tcareaboutgoingtowarmcountries."

"wouldyouliketostayhereandfreezewhenthewintercomes?"saidthemother,"ortilltheboyscomestohangyou,ortoroastyou?-wellthen,i'llcallthem."

"ohno,no,"saidtheyoungstork,jumpingoutontheroofwiththeothers;andnowtheywereallattentive,andbythethirddaycouldflyalittle.thentheybegantofancytheycouldsoar,sotheytriedtodoso,restingontheirwings,buttheysoonfoundthemselvesfalling,andhadtoflaptheirwingsasquicklyaspossible.theboyscameagaininthestreetsingingtheirsong:-

"stork,stork,flyaway."

"shallweflydown,andpicktheireyesout?"