Ladies and gentlemen talked learnedly about him ; boys poked and pulled him ; little girls admired him , and begged his wings for their hats , if he died . Cats prowled about his cage ; dogs barked at him ; hens cackled over him ; and a shrill canary jeered at him from the pretty pagoda in which it hung , high above danger . In the evening there was music ; and the poor bird 's heart ached as the sweet sounds came to him , reminding him of the airier melodies he loved . Through the stillness of the night , he heard the waves break on the shore ; the wind came singing up from the sea ; the moon shone kindly on him , and he saw the water-fairies dancing on the sand . But for three days no one spoke a friendly word to him , and he pined away with a broken heart . On the fourth night , when all was quiet , little Gulliver saw a black shadow steal across the lawn , and heard a soft voice say to him : `` Poor bird , you 'll die , if yer stays here ; so I ` se gwine to let yer go . Specs little missy 'll scold dreffle ; but Moppet 'll take de scoldin for yer . Hi , dere ! you is peart nuff now , kase you 's in a hurry to go ; but jes wait till I gits de knots out of de string dat ties de door , and den away you flies . '' `` But , dear , kind Moppet , wo n't you be hurt for doing this ? Why do you care so much for me ? I can only thank you , and fly away . '' As Gulliver spoke , he looked up at the little black face bent over him , and saw tears in the child 's sad eyes ; but she smiled at him , and shook her fuzzy head , as she whispered kindly : `` I do n't want no tanks , birdie : I loves to let you go , kase you 's a slave , like I was once ; and it 's a dreffle hard ting , I knows . I got away , and I means you shall . I ` se watched you , deary , all dese days ; and I tried to come ` fore , but dey did n't give me no chance . '' `` Do you live here ? I never see you playing with the other children , '' said the gull , as Moppet 's nimble fingers picked away at the knots . `` Yes : I lives here , and helps de cook . You did n't see me , kase I never plays ; de chilen do n't like me . '' `` Why not ? ''
asked XXXXX , wondering .
Gulliver Specs days deary evening gits night nuff ting yer