Out·of·Doors
Reading edition
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25Whichever way the wind doth blow
Some heart is glad to have it so.
Then blow it east or blow it west,
The wind that blows—that wind is best.
doth have (at)
which ever (s ay) th at
heart w ay east
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cra dle (n ow) down (t all)
breaks h ow their f all
THE WIND
How the wind blows!
The tall trees rock in the wind.
See the boughs sway up and down.
Some little birds are in their nest.
The nest is on a high bough.
They are glad to have the wind blow.
Their hearts are glad.
They like the west wind best.
It rocks them in their nest.
They like that.
They like to rock in the tree-top.
27Sing to the dear little birds.
Sing a song to the birds in the nest.
“Rock-a-bye, birdies, on the tree-top.
When the wind blows, the cradle will rock.
When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall,
And down will come rock-a-bye, birdies and all.”
The nest is the little birds’ cradle.
It is on a bough in the tree-top.
It rocks when the wind blows.
When the bough breaks it falls.
It falls down, down, away down!
It falls to the ground.
And down fall birdies and all.
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THE LEAVES
“Come, little leaves,” said the wind one day,
“Come over the meadows with me and play.”
leaves said one
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Come, little leaves.
Come over the meadows.
Come and play with me, little leaves.
“Come, little leaves,” said the wind, “come with me.
Come over the meadows with me.
Come play with me in the meadows.”
One day the wind said, “Come, come with me, little leaves.
I want to play with you.
Will you play with me?”
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two could fl ew gr ew
saw were bl ew
THE BIRDS AND THE LEAVES
An old oak tree grew in the meadow.
Two birds made a nest in it.
Soon there were three little birds there.
They could not fly; they could not sing.
But the old birds loved the little ones.
The little leaves looked into the nest.
They saw the little birds.
The leaves said, “Come and play.”
31The little birds said, “Peep! peep!”
They wanted to go with the leaves.
They wanted to fly from their nest.
But they could not fly.
Up blew the wind one day.
“Come, little leaves,” said he.
“Come over the meadows with me.”
The leaves flew away with the wind.
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They played in the meadow all day.
The old oak tree said, “Come to me, little leaves.”
But they did not come.
“Come! come! come!” said the little birds.
“We want to play with you.”
But the leaves could not come.
They were asleep in the meadow.
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Come, little birds,
Stop your play.
Snow is coming down,
You must hide away.
(top)
hide must s top
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sum mer out (s o)
them back n o
THE SNOW
All summer the little birds played in the old oak tree.
They flew in and out.
They flew round and round.
They flew from bough to bough.
They rocked on the high boughs.
They rested there.
They played with the little leaves.
They flew up, up to the blue sky.
They flew down to see the flowers.
They flew down under the tree.
Up to the tree-top they flew again.
35They flew east and west.
Whichever way they flew, they were glad.
One day the wind said, “Come, little birds.
You must stop your play.
Fly away from your nest in the tree.
The little leaves are all asleep.
The little flowers are all asleep.
The snow will soon be coming down.
You must hide away.”
36How the little birds wanted to stay!
But no, they must fly away.
The wind said they must fly away.
And away they flew.
They flew away over the meadows.
Will they come back again?
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What does little birdie say
In her nest at peep of day?
“Let me fly,” says little birdie,
“Mother, let me fly away.”
“Birdie, rest a little longer,
Till the little wings are stronger.”
So she rests a little longer,
Then she flies away.
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(oth er) (s ings) (g et) (w ill)
m oth er w ings l et t ill
str ong er l ong er flies her
LITTLE BIRDIE
Little birdie is in her nest.
She says, “Peep, peep, peep.”
“What does birdie want?” says mother.
“I want to fly from the nest.
Mother, let me fly away.
Let me fly high over the tree-top.”
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But the mother says, “No, no, you can not fly.
Rest in the nest a little longer.
Soon your wings will be stronger.
Then you can fly away.
You can fly over the tree-tops.
You can fly over the meadows.”
So birdie will stay in the nest a little longer.
And when her wings are stronger, she will fly away.
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(c an) alone
r an winter
FEEDING THE SQUIRRELS
It was a cold day.
The ground was covered with snow.
The cold winds blew.
The trees were bare.
It was winter.
Baby ran out to play.
He saw three little squirrels.
They were running over the ground.
“What can the little squirrels want?” said Baby.
The squirrels ran to the oak tree.
“Are you looking for acorns?
41There are no acorns now.
Stay here, little squirrels.
I will feed you.”
Baby ran to mother.
“Come, mother,” he said.
42“Come out with me.
There are three squirrels in the tree.
They want some acorns.
We will feed the little squirrels.
I have some acorns.
Come, feed the squirrels, mother.”
Mother ran out with Baby.
There were the squirrels in the tree.
“Come, squirrels,” said Baby.
“Here are some acorns.”
The squirrels ran to Baby.
They were glad to see the acorns.
They ran to get some.
They covered some with snow.
Can you tell why?
Then they ran to the old oak tree.
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(see) (b are) (m ade) (f ast)
see k c are sh ade l ast
THE SQUIRRELS
Two squirrels made their nest in the old oak tree.
All summer they played in the shade.
They ran up and down the boughs.
They played hide and seek.
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In the fall the leaves flew away.
All the little birds flew away, too.
They were going away for the winter.
They were flying away from the snow.
At last the squirrels are alone.
Must they leave the old tree, too?
No, little care they for the snow.
They have a nest; they have acorns.
They will be glad all winter.
Summer will come again.
Then birds and leaves will come back.
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