These ropelike coils of the creepers made capital swings,
and often Dot clambered into one of the big loops and sat swinging herself
to and fro, laughing and singing, much to the delight and amusement of the
Kangaroo.
Swing! swing! a bird on the wing
Is not more happy than I!
Stooping to earth, and seeking the sky.
Swing! swing! swing!
See how high upward I fly!
Here, midst the leaves I swing;
Then, as fast to my swing I cling,
Down I come from the sky!
Swing! swing! a bird on the wing
Is not more happy than I!
Thus sang little Dot, tossing herself backwards and forwards, and the
Kangaroo, squatting below, came to the conclusion that there was
something very sweet about little Humans, and that Dot was certainly quite
as nice as a Joey Kangaroo.
In the middle of one of these little swinging diversions, a bird about the
size of a pigeon, with the most wonderfully shiny plumage, flew to the
tree from which Dot's creeper swing hung. Dot was so struck by the bird's
beautiful blue-black glossy appearance, and its brightly contrasting
yellow beak and legs, that she stopped swinging at once.
"You ARE a pretty bird!" she said.
"I am a Satin Bower Bird," it said. "We heard you singing, and we thought,
therefore, that you probably enjoy parties, so I have come to invite you
to one of our assemblies which will take place shortly.
Pages:
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108