FINDING A WAY
"WHAT can you do?" the other feathered folk asked Buddy Brown-Thrasher,when he complained about Jasper Jay's rudeness in interrupting hissinging. "You don't intend to fight Jasper, do you?"
"I think--" replied Buddy--"I think I can find a better way than that."And that was all he would say.
As usual, Jasper came to Buddy Brown-Thrasher's thicket that evening andscreamed his loudest, when Buddy began to sing. Again Buddy'sevening-song was spoiled. And even before the noisy Jasper had left,Buddy Brown-Thrasher began to lay his plans for putting a stop toJasper's unpleasant trick. By the time he fell asleep Buddy knew exactlywhat he was going to do the next day.
* * * * * * *
The following morning Buddy Brown-Thrasher was up bright and early--evenearlier than was his habit. And for once in his life he did not pause tosing his morning-song from his favorite perch in the tree-top. He didnot even wait to have his breakfast, but flew straight to the clump ofyoung pines where--as he knew--Jasper Jay made his home.
It was so early in the morning that a gray light half veiled themountains; and a white mist hung over the river. The Jay family was justbeginning to awaken. And soon Buddy heard Jasper's harsh voice callingto some friend who lived a little distance away.
Jasper was still somewhat sleepy. Though Buddy Brown-Thrasher could notsee him, he could hear Jasper talking to his wife in a low tone, whichwas quite different from the noisy squawk that people at once thought ofat the mere mention of Jasper Jay's name. And soon a few sweet,flute-like notes came floating out from Jasper's tree and fell upon theears of Buddy Brown-Thrasher, where he lay snugly hidden among theboughs of a young pine.
Buddy was delighted. You see, he was a real music-lover; and seldom hadhe heard any sound so beautiful as those rare notes of Jasper Jay's.
"Bravo!" Buddy cried, without thinking what he was doing. And in thenext instant Jasper Jay thrust a towsled head through the pine-needlesthat screened his sleeping-place.
"Who's there?" he shouted in a hoarse and angry voice.
Buddy Brown-Thrasher did not answer. He kept still as a mouse. Andwaited for some time--hoping to hear Jasper's sweet notes again--but hewaited in vain.
But Buddy had heard them once. And since it was for that very purposethat he had gone without both his breakfast and his morning-song, he wassatisfied. He went home a little later, feeling well pleased, so far,with his plan for putting an end to Jasper Jay's rudeness.
The first thing that Buddy Brown-Thrasher did then was to seek hisfavorite perch in the very top of his own special tree and sing amorning-song that was more joyous than ever. That was because he washappier than he had been for a long time--ever since Jasper Jay had beenannoying him.
When he had sung his song fourteen times, Buddy ate a hearty breakfast.Feeling as sprightly as he did, he found his appetite unusually keen.And when at last he had finished his meal he went straight off to makecalls upon his friends.
Now, it was no accident that all those upon whom Buddy Brown-Thrashercalled that morning belonged to the Pleasant Valley Singing Society. Yousee, Buddy needed help in order to teach Jasper Jay a lesson. And assoon as his friends heard his plan, they all told him that it was a goodone and that they would be glad to do what they could to teach JasperJay better manners.