A Clever Bird

It was a fine spring day. A little bird sat in a tree singing a song. A big grey cat saw the bird. He wanted to eat it.

So he came up to the tree and said, "Good morning, dear! Come down from the tree! Come here! I want to say something to you."

"Say what you want. I shall not come down," said the bird.

"Do you know that all the animals and birds are good friends now? I like you very much. Come down. We shall play," said the cat.

"No, thank you," said the clever bird. "I like it here, high up in the tree. From here I can see fields and forests, lakes and rivers, hills and mountains. Now I see a lot of dogs. They are running here."

"Oh, goodbye then. I must run away now."

"Why?" said the little bird. "Don't you know that all the animals are good friends now?"