Page:The Children Who Followed the Piper.djvu/78

 Faunus, and Janus gave the children presents. Silvanus searched in his bag until he found a black nut for each of the children. When they opened them they found in each a little bird that came out and perched upon the little finger nail, and sang to their owner in the most lovely way. Janus then put a little hinge on the nuts that were opened, so that the little birds might go back into them and be shut up in the nuts again. Faunus gave the children the leaf of an ash tree each; it turned into a little candle flame and went dancing before them wherever they went. Mars put down his wine cup and he said,

"I should like to give a present too, but I can't think of one—by Jupiter, I can't!"

And then they heard a voice in the tree. "I, the poor woodpecker, would like to give a present too, but I haven't one to give. But if you would like to listen to a story, I shall tell you one."

"Picus," said Faunus, "you have told that story too often."