The stag immediately lifted his head and looked at him. The old stag advanced slowly and Bambi followed him. “Faline, sister, you knew me anyway.” Gobo went to her and kissed her mouth. The dogs found me.” Marena was quiet and serious and gentler than any of the others. “Did I frighten you?” asked the owl. Gobo would stand with perfect peace of mind in the bright sunshine on the meadow. The ducks talked endlessly to one another in a friendly, serious, capable way. Bambi lay on the warm earth with the mouldering bark of the fallen tree above him. “My beautiful old oak, do you remember it? It was awful. He chopped it down!” The fox came springing, crouching and slinking. A little, short-legged hound was after him. The pheasants, swooping down from their roosts, would stand in one spot. Two fawns were standing side by side, in their little red coats. BAMBI CHAPTER 1 He came into the world in the middle of the thicket, in one of those little, hidden forest glades which seem to be entirely open, but are really screened in on all sides. There was very little room in it, scarcely enough for him and his mother. He stood there, swaying unsteadily on his thin legs and staring vaguely in front of him with clouded eyes which saw nothing. He hung his head, trembled a great deal, and was still completely stunned. [Illustration: _He stood there, swaying unsteadily on his thin legs._] “What a beautiful child,” cried the magpie. She had flown past, attracted by the deep groans the mother uttered in her labor. The magpie perched on a neighboring branch. “What a beautiful child,” she kept repeating. Receiving no answer, she went on talkatively, “How amazing to think that he should be able to get right up and walk! How interesting! I’ve never seen the like of it before in all my born days. Of course, I’m still young, only a year out of the nest, you might say. But I think it’s wonderful. A child like that, hardly a minute in this world, and beginning to walk already! I call that remarkable. Really, I find that everything you deer do is remarkable. Can he run, too?” “Of course,” replied the mother softly. “But you must pardon me if I don’t talk with you now. I have so much to do, and I still feel a little faint.”