When next morn the sun’s first rays Glistened on the hemlock sprays, Straight that lodge the old chief sought, And boiled samp and moose meat brought. “Rise and eat, my son!” he said. Lo, he found the poor boy dead! As with grief his grave they made, And his bow beside him laid, Pipe, and knife, and wampum braid, On the lodge top overhead, Preening smooth its breast of red And the brown coat that it wore, Sat a bird, unknown before. And as if with human tongue, “Mourn me not,” it said, or sung; “I, a bird, am still your son, Happier than if hunter fleet, Or a brave, before your feet Laying scalps in battle won. Friend of man, my song shall cheer Lodge and corn land; hovering near, To each wigwam I shall bring Tidings of the coming spring; Every child my voice shall know In the moon of melting snow, When the maple’s red bud swells, And the windflower lifts its bells. As their fond companion Men shall henceforth own your son, And my song shall testify That of human kin am I.” Thus the Indian legend saith How, at first, the robin came With a sweeter life than death, Bird for boy, and still the same. If my young friends doubt that this Is the robin’s genesis, Not in vain is still the myth If a truth be found therewith: Unto gentleness belong Gifts unknown to pride and wrong; Happier far than hate is praise,-- He who sings than he who slays. --JOHN G. WHITTIER. HOW ST. FRANCIS PREACHED TO THE BIRDS fervor abandon salvation penance triple multitude substance raiment refuge creator preserved element marveled benefits ingratitude providence One day when St. Francis was in a village of Italy, he began to preach; and first of all he commanded the swallows who were singing that they should keep silence until he had done preaching, and the swallows obeyed him. And he preached with so much fervor that all the men and women in that village were minded to go forth and abandon the village. But St. Francis suffered them not, and said to them: “Do not be in haste, and do not go hence, and I will order that which you must do for the salvation of your souls;” and then he thought of his third order for the salvation of the whole world. And he left them much comforted and well disposed to penance; and he departed thence. And passing along, in fervor of soul, he lifted up his eyes and saw many trees standing by the way, and filled with a countless multitude of little birds; at which St. Francis wondered, and said to his companions, “Wait a little for me in the road, and I will go and preach to my sisters the birds.”