I have built my nest on it , and my young ones are not yet old enough to fly . ' ` It will not be easy to find another tree that would make such good snow-shoes , ' answered the fox , cocking his head on one side , and gazing at the tree thoughtfully ; ` but I do not like to be ill-natured , so if you will give me one of your young ones I will seek my snow-shoes elsewhere . ' Not knowing what to do the poor magpie had to agree , and flying back , with a heavy heart , he threw one of his young ones out of the nest . The fox seized it in his mouth and ran off in triumph , while the magpie , though deeply grieved for the loss of his little one , found some comfort in the thought that only a bird of extraordinary wisdom would have dreamed of saving the rest by the sacrifice of the one . But what do you think happened ? Why , a few days later , Michael the fox might have been seen sitting under the very same tree , and a dreadful pang shot through the heart of the magpie as he peeped at him from a hole in the nest . ` What are you looking at ? ' he asked in a trembling voice . ` At this tree . I was just thinking what good snowshoes it would make , ' answered the fox in an absent voice , as if he was not thinking of what he was saying . ` 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 XXXXX 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 . '
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