CHAPTER I : Blacky The Crow Makes A Discovery Blacky the Crow is always watching for things not intended for his sharp eyes . The result is that he gets into no end of trouble which he could avoid . In this respect he is just like his cousin , Sammy Jay . Between them they see a great deal with which they have no business and which it would be better for them not to see . Now Blacky the Crow finds it no easy matter to pick up a living when snow covers the Green Meadows and the Green Forest , and ice binds the Big River and the Smiling Pool . He has to use his sharp eyes for all they are worth in order to find enough to fill his stomach , and he will eat anything in the way of food that he can swallow . Often he travels long distances looking for food , but at night he always comes back to the same place in the Green Forest , to sleep in company with others of his family . Blacky dearly loves company , particularly at night , and about the time jolly , round , red Mr. Sun is beginning to think about his bed behind the Purple Hills , you will find Blacky heading for a certain part of the Green Forest where he knows he will have neighbors of his own kind . Peter Rabbit says that it is because Blacky 's conscience troubles him so that he does n't dare sleep alone , but Happy Jack Squirrel says that Blacky has n't any conscience . You can believe just which you please , though I suspect that neither of them really knows . As I have said , Blacky is quite a traveler at this time of year , and sometimes his search for food takes him to out-of-the-way places . One day toward the very last of winter , the notion entered his black head that he would have a look in a certain lonesome corner of the Green Forest where once upon a time Redtail the Hawk had lived . Blacky knew well enough that Redtail was n't there now ; he had gone south in the fell and would n't be back until he was sure that Mistress Spring had arrived on the Green Meadows and in the Green Forest . Like the black imp he is , Blacky flew over the tree-tops , his sharp eyes watching for something interesting below . Presently he saw ahead of him the old nest of Red-tail . He knew all about that nest . He had visited it before when Red-tail was away . Still it might be worth another visit . You never can tell what you may find in old houses . Now , of course , Blacky knew perfectly well that Redtail was miles and miles , hundreds of miles away , and so there was nothing to fear from him .
But XXXXX learned ever so long ago that there is nothing like making sure that there is no danger .
Blacky Forest Green Hills Jay Meadows Rabbit Red-tail Redtail night