"
That was all the people ever knew. The children never came back. All that
was left of the Piper and the rats was just the big street that led to the
river; so they called it the Street of the Pied Piper.
And that is the end of the story.
WHY THE EVERGREEN TREES KEEP THEIR LEAVES IN WINTER[1]
[Footnote 1: Adapted from Florence Holbrook's _A Book of Nature Myths_.
(Harrap & Co. 9d.)]
One day, a long, long time ago, it was very cold; winter was coming. And
all the birds flew away to the warm south, to wait for the spring. But one
little bird had a broken wing and could not fly. He did not know what to
do. He looked all round, to see if there was any place where he could keep
warm. And he saw the trees of the great forest.
"Perhaps the trees will keep me warm through the winter," he said.
So he went to the edge of the forest, hopping and fluttering with his
broken wing. The first tree he came to was a slim silver birch.
"Beautiful birch-tree," he said, "will you let me live in your warm
branches until the springtime comes?"
"Dear me!" said the birch-tree, "what a thing to ask! I have to take care
of my own leaves through the winter; that is enough for me. Go away."
The little bird hopped and fluttered with his broken wing until he came to
the next tree.
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