Page:Story of the robins.djvu/146

132 Did ever any one see such dull eyes, and such a frightful muffle of feathers?"

"Whoever you are that reproach us with the want of beauty, you do not show your own good sense," replied one of the little owls; "perhaps we may have qualities which render us as amiable as yourselves. You do not appear to know that we are night, and not day birds; the quantity of feathers in which we are muffled up is very comfortable to us when we are out in the cold; and I can show you a pair of eyes which, if you are little birds, will frighten you out of your wits." He then drew back the film which was given him that the strong light of day might not injure his sight, and stared full at Dicky, who was struck with astonishment.

At that instant the parent owl returned, and seeing a parcel of strangers looking into her nest, she set up a screeching, which made the whole party take wing. As soon as they stopped to rest, the cock redbreast, who was really frightened, as well as his mate and family, recollected himself, and said, "Well, Dicky, how did you like the owl's eyes? I fancy they proved brighter than you expected; but had they even been as ugly as you supposed, it was very rude and silly in you to notice it. You ought never to censure any bird for natural deformities,