Part 6 (1/2)

Mr. and Mrs. Bear walked arm-in-arm, and Baby ran by their side.

”WHAT A FINE DAY IT IS!” growled Mr. Bear.

”WHAT A FINE DAY IT IS!” said Mrs. Bear.

”What a fine day!” squeaked little Bear.

And so it was.

The sun shone brightly though it was low in the sky, and its rays glittered on the fine webs on the gra.s.s. The leaves s.h.i.+vered in the soft breeze; the wood-pigeon cooed; the lark sang loud enough to make himself hoa.r.s.e; the sparrows chirped; the bee buzzed, and a yellow b.u.t.terfly perched on great Bear's nose.

”What a squeaky noise these creatures make!” said big Bear, as he brushed off the b.u.t.terfly. ”What a pity it is they have not _our_ deep voices.”

”Yes,” said Mrs. Bear; ”you have a much finer voice than the lark. I should like to hear him growl as you do.”

”Oh, my dear, you are too kind; my growl is nothing to the lion's.”

And thus conversing, the bears walked on.

Now there lived in the same forest a sweet little girl, who was called Golden Hair. She was the Woodman's daughter, and her hair looked just like sunbeams. She knew every tree in the greenwood, and every flower in it. She loved the birds, and liked to listen to their song; and everything in the wood loved Golden Hair. The trees bent down their lower branches to touch her glittering head as she pa.s.sed; the birds sang sweeter as she glided by. The lark's song in the sky was--

”Come up, come up, Golden Hair; here is your happy home.”

”Coo, I love you; coo, I love you!” cooed the wood-pigeon, as she pa.s.sed.

”Twit, twit, pretty child,” said the sparrow.

”Oh, you darling,” sang the blackbird; and Golden Hair laughed with glee, for she liked to be loved.

[Ill.u.s.tration: LITTLE GOLDEN HAIR.]

As to the b.u.t.terflies, they flew after her, and rested on her hair, and tickled her cheeks; but she never tried to catch them.

[Ill.u.s.tration: GOLDEN HAIR PEEPING INTO THE BEARS' HOUSE.] She would not frighten or vex them for anything. She loved all the creatures, and that is why they loved her.

Love makes love.

Dear little Golden Hair, she went on singing merrily through the greenwood, saying sometimes to herself--

”I wish I could sing as well as the lark!”

By-and-by Little Golden Hair reached the Bears' house. She had never seen it before, and she wondered who lived there. A window was open, and Golden Hair peeped in.

”Dear me,” thought the child, ”whose house can it be! There is a table and three chairs, and three basins of hot milk, all steaming, and n.o.body to drink it. But I don't see any work or books, or anything else. I think I will go in and see who lives here.”

So she tapped at the door, and cried, ”Is any one at home?”

But there was no answer. Then Golden Hair stepped in very carefully, and looked about her.

She could not see any one, nor hear anybody snoring, so she walked into the Bears' parlour.