Five-Minute Bedtime Tales by Thornton W. Burgess

Author:Thornton W. Burgess [Burgess, Thornton W.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780486310480
Publisher: Dover Publications
Published: 2012-10-13T00:00:00+00:00

“His legs were so long, and his neck was so long that all his neighbors laughed at him.”

“So he tried his best to keep out of sight as much as possible. Now in those days, as at present, the rushes grew tall beside the Smiling Pool, and among them Mr. Heron found a hiding-place. Because his legs were long, he could wade out in the water and keep quite out of sight of those who lived on the land. So he found a use for his long legs and was glad that they were long. At first he used to go ashore to hunt for food. One day as he was wading ashore, he surprised a school of little fish and managed to catch one. It tasted so good that he wanted more, and every day he went fishing. Whenever he saw little fish swimming where the water was shallow, he would rush in among them and do his best to catch one. Sometimes he did, but more often he didn’t. You see, he was so clumsy and awkward that he made a great splashing, and the fish would hear him coming and get away.

“One day after he had tried and tried without catching even one, he stopped just at the edge of the rushes to rest. His long neck ached, and to rest it he laid it back on his shoulders. For a long time he stood there, resting. The water around his feet was cool and comforting. He was very comfortable but for one thing,—he was hungry. He was just making up his mind to go on and hunt for something to eat when he saw a school of little fish swimming straight towards him. ‘Perhaps,’ thought he, ‘if I keep perfectly still, they will come near enough for me to catch one.’ So he kept perfectly still. He didn’t dare even stretch his long neck up. Sure enough, the little fish swam almost to his very feet. They didn’t see him at all. When they were near enough, he darted his long neck forward and caught one without any trouble at all. Mr. Heron was almost as surprised as the fish he had caught. You see, he discovered that with his neck laid back on his shoulders that way, he could dart his head forward ever so much quicker than when he was holding it up straight. It really was a great discovery for Mr. Heron.

“Of course all the other fish darted away in great fright, but Mr. Heron didn’t mind. He settled himself in great contentment, for now he was less hungry. By and by some foolish tadpoles came wriggling along. ‘I’ll just try catching one of them for practice. Maybe they are good to eat,’ thought Mr. Heron, and just as before darted his head and great bill downward and caught a tadpole.

“‘Um-m, they are good!’ exclaimed Mr. Heron, and once more settled himself to watch and wait.

“That was a sad day for the Frog family, but a great day for Mr.

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