` Oh , my brother , my dear little brother , do n't do that , ' cried the magpie , hopping about in his anguish . ` You know you promised only a few days ago that you would get your snow-shoes elsewhere . ' ` So I did ; but though I have searched through the whole forest , there is not a single tree that is as good as this . I am very sorry to put you out , but really it is not my fault . The only thing I can do for you is to offer to give up my snow-shoes altogether if you will throw me down one of your young ones in exchange . ' And the poor magpie , in spite of his wisdom , was obliged to throw another of his little ones out of the nest ; and this time he was not able to console himself with the thought that he had been much cleverer than other people . He sat on the edge of his nest , his head drooping and his feathers all ruffled , looking the picture of misery . Indeed he was so different from the gay , jaunty magpie whom every creature in the forest knew , that a crow who was flying past , stopped to inquire what was the matter . ` Where are the two young ones who are not in the nest ? ' asked he . ' I had to give them to the fox , ' replied the magpie in a quivering voice ; ` he has been here twice in the last week , and wanted to cut down my tree for the purpose of making snow-shoes out of it , and the only way I could buy him off was by giving him two of my young ones . ' Oh , you fool , ' cried the crow , ` the fox was only trying to frighten you . He could not have cut down the tree , for he has neither axe nor knife . Dear me , to think that you have sacrificed your young ones for nothing ! Dear , dear ! how could you be so very foolish ! ' And the crow flew away , leaving the magpie overcome with shame and sorrow . The next morning the fox came to his usual place in front of the tree , for he was hungry , and a nice young magpie would have suited him very well for dinner . But this time there was no cowering , timid magpie to do his bidding , but a bird with his head erect and a determined voice . ` My good fox , ' said the magpie putting his head on one side and looking very wise -- ` my good fox , if you take my advice , you will go home as fast as you can .
There is no use your talking about making XXXXX out of this tree , when you have neither knife nor axe to cut it down with ! '
advice anguish brother crow feathers home matter people snow-shoes spite