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Show "DTC W I CRICKET BIRD. "This way, this wny, follow me," said little Mr. Cricket Bird. All the cricket birds hopped along and said: "Where are we going, Mr. Cricket nirdj" "We aro going to call on the fairies," he sold. "We are going to ask them if they don't sometimes want us to give the inuiilc lor their balls. And we'd like to form a band." The cricket birdi were delighted With Mr. Cricket Bird's suggestion find hopped along very happily and cheerily. cheer-ily. They reached Fairyland at last and Mr. Cricket Bird hopped on tho Fairy Queen's rlsht wins and whispered In her ear: "1 have a favor to ask, most beautiful Queen." "Goodness, gracious, mercy me," said the Fairy Queen. "Did I hear a whisper whis-per In my ear?" "You couldn't have," said tho rest ot tho fulrles. "For we haven't heard n sound, nor seen n toul this ntlernoon." v But Just then nil tlio other llttlo cricket, birds hopped on tho whip of tho different fnliles and every ono said : "I've n favor to ask." "Oh," called tho fairies "you did hear a whisper, Fairy Queen." And each one told her whlcpor. Tlio saiuo "Goodness, Qraelous, Mercy Me," Said the Fairy Queen. ' whisper they had all heard, and It seemed as If each fairy bad heard It close to her car. ( "What could It have been?" tho Fairy 'Queen aoked. And then Mr. Cricket Bird followed by all the llttlo cricket birds, hopped down from the wings of the fairies where they had been quite hidden, and began to b!u? In their pleasant way a very pretty wng! V ,fc ""Ohl,rexclaInied nil the fairies. "Do look I" Of course each one was looking I No one could tbtnk of anything else. "You sing like crickets," said the Fairy Queen. "Who aro you, llttlo birds? Weare so glad you've como to sec us. Pray tell us who you ore and from'-where you have cornel" "We will bo proud to tell you," said Mr. Cricket Bird. "And oh, how wisa you are, beautiful Queen." The Fairy Queen smiled and all the fairies Jingled the little bells they bad been playing with. "You are n wise creature to say so," said the fairies. "But you have just said what we were." "How have 17" asked tho Fairy Queen, looking very much puzzled. "You must have gucaaed I said something. some-thing. I called you little birds, but 1 1 said you sang like crickets." "And that's Just right," said tho cricket bird delightedly., "We have a ' fine name. But we are Inst what I you've said." i "But I didn't exactly say anything," , said the Fairy Queen, looking more and more puuled. "I said you were J like two kinds of little creatures one kind1 from your looks and tbe-other from your voices." "And we. are," aald the cricket bird. "Our farally.naiae la Crlrket'Blrd. We are also called Grasshopper Warblers." "Wbat'"Blet:i'sames," shouted the fairies. - - ' Tho crickets hopped .and jumped with glee, i and Mr; Cricket Bird con tlnued talking. v "We are called the Cricket Blrdvfarally. because we can sing almost exactly like crickets can. And yet the sounds we make are so like Insects and we hop so beautifully that, they have called us Grasshopper Warblers too, So we ore called by both names." "And you've come to see us," said the Fairy Queen. "Won't you s,lng us a tune?" So nil the cricket birds sang and the fairies thought' their voices sounded Jnst like crickets. "We wuuted to ask the great favor of furnishing the music tor somo of your balls." said Mr. Cricket Bird. "We would be so much honored.1 As we don't feel quite so fine as birds with more beautiful voices It would make uh doubly proud." "We'd be delighted to have the Cricket Band," said the Fairy Queen, "and just to show you how much we like your music, -will you come tomorrow tomor-row evening when we are going to give a dance for the Twilight Fairies?" And all the cricket birds proudly promised to come, while Mr. Cricket Bird aald be would lead the band I . i. |