And that is why you who are reading this book, and who are not birds, cannot see their beaks either, unless you make a great effort. [Illustration: THE GRUB WAS REALLY THE DOORKEEPER] Redy, who saw that the moment had come to explain what they wanted, folded her hands on her apron, and repeated her little poem: "We wish to have three girls, Fine, sweet, pink, and good. They shall have more pudding than they like, And a green, green, and rosy garden." The Crow said: "It won't do," and he took off his glasses, which were made of ebony, set in a crystal frame. On the rims signs and letters were engraved in characters that looked rather Eastern. If you examined carefully you saw that round one lens was engraved: DON'T LOOK AT ME. And on the other one: FOR YOU DON'T HEAR WITH YOUR EYES. [Illustration: "WE WISH TO HAVE THREE GIRLS"] Smaly paid no attention to the spectacles, but answered the Crow's remark. "Why won't it do?" he asked. The Crow opened his beak to answer, then he shut it again, and put on his glasses, for he only wore them when he wanted to speak, and did not particularly wish to see. [Illustration: THE CROW LIFTED HIM UP] For this Crow had three eyes, one on each side of his beak, and a third one carried in a medallion which hung on a chain round his neck. This third eye was very busy and saw more than both the other two put together. Redy felt extremely annoyed. "How dare you look at me! You are only made of sugar and bilberry jam," she exclaimed. "I didn't look at you," said the Crow, rather taken aback. "Only because you are looking at me," now shouted Smaly. "No, I am not," retorted the Crow, turning his back and taking off his spectacles. "Don't leave us," cried Redy hastily. "I only meant that you were looking at us with that beautiful eye that hangs on a chain round your neck." [Illustration: THE CROW] "Well," said the Crow, coming back and putting on his spectacles once more, "why didn't you say so at once? That's my mother's eye. She's very old; but she still wants to know what is happening in the world, so I carry about her eye with me to let it see. But don't be frightened. She only sees you, she doesn't hear you." "It wouldn't matter if she did. We should not dream of saying nasty things about your mother," said Redy with true emotion. "I thought not," said the Crow more peaceably, "besides, she's such a funny little thing, poor dear; she's no legs, no wings, and no tail." "Dear, dear, and only one eye?" asked Smaly. "Yes," said the Crow, "only one eye, so she sees only one side of men, birds, and things." "What does she live on?" asked Redy, with a woman's interest in practical matters. The Crow replied, "Oh, on candy and caterpillars and sweets and flies, just as you and I do." "I don't," said Smaly. "Nor I," said Redy. The Crow gazed at them with some disgust. [Illustration: THE MOTHER OF THE CROW]