Page:The Complete Works of Lyof N. Tolstoi - 08 (Crowell, 1899).djvu/103

Rh the third day he forgot all about the canary, and did not change the water.

And his mother said:—

"See here: you have forgotten your bird; you would better let it go."

"No; I will not forget it again; I will immediately give it fresh water and clean its cage."

Serozha thrust his hand into the cage and began to clean it, but the little bird was frightened and fluttered. After Serozha had cleaned the cage, he went to get some water. His mother perceived that he had for-gotten to shut the cage door, and she called after him:—

"Serozha, shut up your cage, else your bird will fly out and hurt itself."

She had hardly spoken these words, when the bird found the door, was delighted, spread its wings, and flew around the room toward the window. But it did not see the glass, and struck against it and fell back on the window-sill. Serozha came running in, picked up the bird, and put it back in the cage. The bird was still alive, but it lay on its breast, with its wings spread out, and breathed heavily. Serozha looked and looked, and began to cry:—

"Mamma, what can I do now?"

"You can do nothing now."

Serozha did not leave the cage all day, but gazed at the canary, and all the time the bird lay on its breast and breathed hard and fast.

When Serozha went to bed, the bird was dead. Serozha could not get to sleep for a long time; every time that he shut his eyes he seemed to see the bird still lying and sighing.

In the morning, when Serozha went to his cage, he saw the bird lying on his back, with his legs crossed, and all stiff.

After that Serozha never again tried to snare birds.