57 THE KIND CRANES

Six hungry little birds once sat by the sea.

“Let us cross the sea, ”said one.

“We can get fat worms over there.”

“But the sea is so wide! ”said another. “How can we get across? ”

Soon a fish came along.

“Fish, will you take us across the sea? ”asked the little birds.

“I will take you down into the sea! ”said the fish.

“We will go just like this! ”

And he swam down, down, down, into the sea.

“Dear! Dear! ”said the little birds. “Dear! Dear! Let us wait.”

So the hungry little birds waited.

By and by a sheep came walking along.

“Sheep, will you take us across the sea? ”asked the little birds.

“I never swim, ”said the sheep, “and I can not fly.

Why don't you wait for the cranes? ”

“Who are they? ”asked the little birds.

“They are great, big birds, ”said the sheep.

“Their wings are so strong that they can fly across the sea.

They have long beaks and long necks.

They have long legs and big backs.

The cranes are very kind.

Every year they take other little birds across the sea.

They will take you, too.”

So the hungry little birds waited.

By and by four cranes came flying along.

The little birds called to the first crane,

“Will you take us across the sea?

We can get some fat worms over there.”

“My back is full of little birds now, ”said the first crane.

“Ask the last crane. He can take you across.”

So the little birds called to the last crane,

“Will you take us across the sea? ”

“Yes, I will take you, ”he said.

“My back is nearly full.

See all the little birds on it!

But you are so little that I can find a place for you. Hop on! ”

The six little birds hopped on to his back.

The other birds made a place for them.

“Are you all right? ”asked the crane.

“Here we go, little birds.”

The little birds held on with their beaks and their claws.

Away they flew, across the wide, wide sea.

They found all the worms they could eat.

And the six little birds got fatter and fatter.

(Old Tale)

Word list

cranes: large birds with wide wings and big, strong beaks

beaks: mouths of birds

You Practice

A) Answer the following questions.

1) Why did the six little birds want to cross the sea?

2) Why did the little birds decide not to go with the fish?

3) What two reasons did the sheep give the little birds for not being able to take them across the sea?

4) Why did the first crane tell the little birds to ask the last crane to take them across the sea?

5) How did the little birds hang onto the crane?

B) What happened? Complete the sentences with four things that happened in the story.

1) First, ________________________________________________________

2) Next, ________________________________________________________

3) Then, _______________________________________________________

4) Finally, ______________________________________________________

C) True or false? Read these sentences carefully, write true or false for each one.

1) _____ All the cranes carried the little birds across the sea.

2) _____ A fish carried some little birds across the sea.

3) _____ The little birds wanted to find worms.

4) _____ One crane carried all the little birds.

5) _____ Two little birds fell into the sea.