But the children said, 'There is no war or hate in our forest; the birds meet--why may not we ?' One summer evening they stayed too long, watching the fish swim in the river and floating little sticks for canoes.

The two warriors returned suddenly to their villages, missed their children, and then some one told them tales.
[Illustration: Cardinal.] "The wind whispered to the trees, 'Trouble, trouble! These warriors hate each other more than they love their children.

Hide them, O trees!' Then the trees whispered to the birds, 'Help the poor children--help, help!' And the birds said, 'They shall be turned into birds and escape, if you will make a little fire, O wind, to delay the warriors and give us time.' "So the trees told the fireflies to light the dead leaves that covered the ground; the wind breathed on the fire, and soon the wood was all aflame! "'What birds do you choose to be, that you may always live in the forest together ?' asked the Bird Brothers of the children.

'Answer quickly, for the time is short.' "'I will be a large brown Sparrow,' said the girl; 'then none will trap me for my feathers.' "'And I too,' said the boy.
"Suddenly they were no longer children.

But there was confusion, as the fire burned nearer and nearer.