1 00:00:08,560 --> 00:00:15,840 Speaker 1: Hello, friends, and welcome to sleep tight stories. This story 2 00:00:16,040 --> 00:00:20,560 Speaker 1: is about the coming of winter and the birds heading south. 3 00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:25,960 Speaker 1: How do they know when to go? And how do 4 00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:32,160 Speaker 1: they know where to go? The younger birds ask these 5 00:00:32,280 --> 00:00:43,000 Speaker 1: questions to the older, wiser birds before they leave. The 6 00:00:43,120 --> 00:00:52,400 Speaker 1: travelers go south. One night, a maple tree, the very 7 00:00:52,520 --> 00:00:56,080 Speaker 1: one under which mister red Squirrel sat. 8 00:00:56,080 --> 00:00:57,240 Speaker 2: When he first. 9 00:00:56,960 --> 00:01:02,840 Speaker 1: Came to the forest, dreamed of winter resting time. And 10 00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:06,720 Speaker 1: when she awakened early in the morning, she found that 11 00:01:06,840 --> 00:01:14,120 Speaker 1: her leaves were turning yellow. They were not all brightly colored, 12 00:01:14,360 --> 00:01:17,840 Speaker 1: but on each was an edging, or a tip, or 13 00:01:17,880 --> 00:01:22,280 Speaker 1: a splash of gold. You may be sure that the 14 00:01:22,360 --> 00:01:28,679 Speaker 1: forest people noticed it at once. I told you so, 15 00:01:29,240 --> 00:01:33,400 Speaker 1: tripped a robin to her mate. The orioles went long ago, 16 00:01:33,800 --> 00:01:38,000 Speaker 1: and the bobo links start today. We must think about 17 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:42,240 Speaker 1: our trip to the south. When she said this, she 18 00:01:42,440 --> 00:01:47,560 Speaker 1: hopped restlessly from twig to twig, with an air of 19 00:01:47,640 --> 00:01:55,360 Speaker 1: being exceedingly busy. Her husband did not answer, but began 20 00:01:55,440 --> 00:01:57,000 Speaker 1: to arrange his new. 21 00:01:56,920 --> 00:01:58,560 Speaker 2: Coat of feathers. 22 00:01:59,280 --> 00:02:02,720 Speaker 1: Perhaps he was used to her fussy ways and thought 23 00:02:02,760 --> 00:02:07,400 Speaker 1: it just as well to keep still. He knew that 24 00:02:07,560 --> 00:02:10,360 Speaker 1: none of the robins would start south until the winter 25 00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:14,720 Speaker 1: became much colder, and he did not think it necessary 26 00:02:14,760 --> 00:02:20,720 Speaker 1: to talk about it. Yet, perhaps too mister Robin was 27 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:24,360 Speaker 1: a little difficult, and was all the more slow and 28 00:02:24,480 --> 00:02:31,000 Speaker 1: quiet because his wife was uneasy. In that case, one 29 00:02:31,080 --> 00:02:34,840 Speaker 1: could hardly blame her for talking over the family plans 30 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:43,120 Speaker 1: with the neighbors. Later in the day, a bobolink came 31 00:02:43,200 --> 00:02:47,120 Speaker 1: up from the marsh to say goodbye. He had on 32 00:02:47,280 --> 00:02:51,840 Speaker 1: his traveling suit of striped brow, and you would never 33 00:02:51,919 --> 00:02:55,840 Speaker 1: have known him for the same jolly fellow who during 34 00:02:55,880 --> 00:03:00,920 Speaker 1: the spring and early summer wore black and buff and 35 00:03:01,120 --> 00:03:07,800 Speaker 1: sang so heartily and sweetly. Now he did not sing 36 00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:13,600 Speaker 1: at all, and slipped silently from bush to bush, only 37 00:03:13,639 --> 00:03:17,560 Speaker 1: speaking when he had to. He was a good fellow, 38 00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:26,200 Speaker 1: and everyone felt sad to have him go. Missus cowbird 39 00:03:26,320 --> 00:03:29,560 Speaker 1: came up while they were talking, now that she did 40 00:03:29,600 --> 00:03:33,000 Speaker 1: not care to lay any more eggs. The other birds 41 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:36,880 Speaker 1: were quite friendly with her. They began to talk over 42 00:03:36,960 --> 00:03:40,600 Speaker 1: the summer that has passed, and said how nicely the 43 00:03:40,720 --> 00:03:48,600 Speaker 1: young birds were coming on. The mourning doves were there 44 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:51,680 Speaker 1: with their young son and daughter, and you could see 45 00:03:51,720 --> 00:03:55,280 Speaker 1: by looking at them that they were an affectionate family, 46 00:03:56,960 --> 00:04:01,720 Speaker 1: we shall be the last to go south. We always 47 00:04:01,840 --> 00:04:05,560 Speaker 1: mean to come north in the very early spring and 48 00:04:05,640 --> 00:04:07,160 Speaker 1: stay as late as possible. 49 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:11,080 Speaker 2: This year we. 50 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:14,840 Speaker 1: Came much later than usual, but it could not be helped. 51 00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:21,200 Speaker 1: They had spoken so before, and rather sadly. It was 52 00:04:21,240 --> 00:04:24,839 Speaker 1: said that they could tell a sorrowful story if they would, 53 00:04:25,480 --> 00:04:28,000 Speaker 1: but they did not wish to sadden others by it, 54 00:04:28,800 --> 00:04:36,840 Speaker 1: and bore their troubles together bravely and lovingly. How do 55 00:04:36,960 --> 00:04:40,800 Speaker 1: the new feathers work, asked a crow, lying up at 56 00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:45,000 Speaker 1: this minute, and looking blacker than ever in his fall coat. 57 00:04:46,640 --> 00:04:51,120 Speaker 1: Then all the birds began to talk about dress. As 58 00:04:51,160 --> 00:04:54,839 Speaker 1: soon as their broods were raised. You know, their feathers 59 00:04:54,920 --> 00:04:58,680 Speaker 1: had begun to drop out, and they had kept on 60 00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:02,599 Speaker 1: molting until all of the old ones were gone and 61 00:05:02,720 --> 00:05:09,320 Speaker 1: the new ones were on. When birds are molting, they 62 00:05:09,440 --> 00:05:12,200 Speaker 1: never feel well, and when it is. 63 00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:15,640 Speaker 2: Over they are both happy and proud. 64 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:22,640 Speaker 1: I changed later than usual this year, said the crow, 65 00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:26,400 Speaker 1: and I feel that I am wearing the very latest fashions. 66 00:05:28,680 --> 00:05:30,960 Speaker 1: This was a joke which he must have picked up 67 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:35,440 Speaker 1: among the barnyard people, and nobody knows where they got it. 68 00:05:36,640 --> 00:05:44,359 Speaker 1: Fashions never change in the forest, I think remarked a 69 00:05:44,400 --> 00:05:48,720 Speaker 1: red headed woodpecker that I have the best wing feathers 70 00:05:48,839 --> 00:05:53,320 Speaker 1: now that I ever had. They seem to be a 71 00:05:53,360 --> 00:05:58,320 Speaker 1: little longer, and they hooked together so well. I almost 72 00:05:58,320 --> 00:06:00,599 Speaker 1: wish I were going south to try them on a 73 00:06:00,640 --> 00:06:09,080 Speaker 1: long journey. Mister Woodpecker's wing feathers are certainly excellent, said 74 00:06:09,120 --> 00:06:12,679 Speaker 1: his wife, who was always glad to see him well dressed. 75 00:06:14,680 --> 00:06:18,600 Speaker 1: I am sure that the strongest wind will never part them. 76 00:06:20,640 --> 00:06:23,279 Speaker 1: I don't see how the owl can stand it to 77 00:06:23,360 --> 00:06:27,240 Speaker 1: where their feathers unhooked, so that some of the air 78 00:06:27,360 --> 00:06:31,479 Speaker 1: passes through their wings each time they flap them. It 79 00:06:31,600 --> 00:06:38,320 Speaker 1: must make flying hard. Well, if you were an owl, 80 00:06:38,480 --> 00:06:43,159 Speaker 1: you would understand, chuckled the crow. If their great wings 81 00:06:43,200 --> 00:06:47,159 Speaker 1: were like ours, the noise of their flying would scare 82 00:06:47,279 --> 00:06:57,640 Speaker 1: every creature within hearing. And so they chatted on while 83 00:06:57,720 --> 00:07:01,280 Speaker 1: from the meadow came the sound of the happy insects 84 00:07:01,320 --> 00:07:05,920 Speaker 1: pipping in the sunshine. It was chilly now at night 85 00:07:06,240 --> 00:07:09,440 Speaker 1: and in the early morning, and they could only give 86 00:07:09,560 --> 00:07:16,640 Speaker 1: concerts at noontime. The next day the wild turkeys came, 87 00:07:17,160 --> 00:07:22,800 Speaker 1: and there was great excitement in the forest. The squirrels 88 00:07:22,880 --> 00:07:26,320 Speaker 1: were busier than ever, storing up all the acorns that 89 00:07:26,360 --> 00:07:31,800 Speaker 1: they could before the newcomers reached the oak trees, and 90 00:07:31,840 --> 00:07:35,400 Speaker 1: the blue jays were so jealous of the turkeys that 91 00:07:35,480 --> 00:07:39,360 Speaker 1: they overate every day for fear there would not be 92 00:07:39,560 --> 00:07:43,480 Speaker 1: enough to go around, as if that could ever happen. 93 00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:51,239 Speaker 1: The groundhog was getting so sleepy now that he would 94 00:07:51,280 --> 00:07:54,640 Speaker 1: doze off while people were talking to him, and then 95 00:07:54,720 --> 00:07:58,160 Speaker 1: he would suddenly straighten up and say, yes, yes, yes, 96 00:07:59,000 --> 00:08:00,840 Speaker 1: don't think that I was a sleep please. 97 00:08:01,440 --> 00:08:04,840 Speaker 2: The colors of the trees are so bright that they tire. 98 00:08:04,600 --> 00:08:10,480 Speaker 1: My eyes, and I sometimes close them. The dear old 99 00:08:10,560 --> 00:08:19,440 Speaker 1: fellow really never knew how he had been nodding. The snakes, too, 100 00:08:19,520 --> 00:08:23,960 Speaker 1: were growing dull and slowing down, while the bats talked 101 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:29,400 Speaker 1: freely of hanging themselves up for the winter. The grouse 102 00:08:29,520 --> 00:08:32,720 Speaker 1: and quail made daily trips to the edges of the 103 00:08:32,760 --> 00:08:39,320 Speaker 1: grain fields and found rich picking among the stubble. You 104 00:08:39,360 --> 00:08:43,040 Speaker 1: could almost fancy that they came home each night fatter 105 00:08:43,160 --> 00:08:50,800 Speaker 1: than when they went away in the morning. Life went 106 00:08:50,880 --> 00:08:54,280 Speaker 1: on in this way for many days, and the birds 107 00:08:54,440 --> 00:08:59,760 Speaker 1: had all stopped singing. There were no more happy concerts 108 00:08:59,760 --> 00:09:06,120 Speaker 1: at sunrise, and no more carols in the evening. Only 109 00:09:06,240 --> 00:09:12,160 Speaker 1: chirpings and twitterings. As the feathered people hopped restlessly from 110 00:09:12,200 --> 00:09:17,800 Speaker 1: one perch to another, all could see that they were 111 00:09:17,840 --> 00:09:23,760 Speaker 1: busily thinking and had no time for music. The truth 112 00:09:24,040 --> 00:09:26,920 Speaker 1: was that each bird, who was not to spend the 113 00:09:26,920 --> 00:09:33,040 Speaker 1: winter in the forest felt as though something were drawing, drying, 114 00:09:34,120 --> 00:09:39,280 Speaker 1: drying them southward. It was something they could not see or. 115 00:09:39,320 --> 00:09:42,360 Speaker 2: Hear, and yet it was. 116 00:09:42,400 --> 00:09:52,080 Speaker 1: Drawing, drawing, drawing, all day and all night. They spoke 117 00:09:52,120 --> 00:09:55,520 Speaker 1: of it, often to each other, and the older birds 118 00:09:55,600 --> 00:09:59,720 Speaker 1: told the young ones how before long they would all 119 00:09:59,760 --> 00:10:05,320 Speaker 1: se start south and fly over land and water until 120 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:10,679 Speaker 1: they reached their winter home. How do we know where 121 00:10:10,679 --> 00:10:15,360 Speaker 1: to go, asked the children. All that you have to do, 122 00:10:15,880 --> 00:10:22,480 Speaker 1: the older ones said, is to follow us, And how 123 00:10:22,520 --> 00:10:27,720 Speaker 1: do you know? They asked, why we have been there before? 124 00:10:27,760 --> 00:10:31,600 Speaker 1: They answered, And we can see the places over which 125 00:10:31,640 --> 00:10:36,800 Speaker 1: we pass, But perhaps that is not the real reason. 126 00:10:37,320 --> 00:10:41,360 Speaker 1: Or sometimes we fly over such great stretches of water 127 00:10:42,200 --> 00:10:46,280 Speaker 1: that we can see nothing else, and it all looks alike. 128 00:10:48,080 --> 00:10:51,800 Speaker 1: Then we cannot see which way to go. But still 129 00:10:51,880 --> 00:10:55,720 Speaker 1: we feel that we are drawn south, and we only 130 00:10:55,760 --> 00:11:00,640 Speaker 1: have to think about that and fly onward. The fathers 131 00:11:00,679 --> 00:11:05,080 Speaker 1: and sons always reach their first The mothers and daughters 132 00:11:05,200 --> 00:11:09,280 Speaker 1: come a few days later. We never make a mistake. 133 00:11:13,520 --> 00:11:17,560 Speaker 1: It is wonderful, wonderful, thought a young rabbit on the 134 00:11:17,559 --> 00:11:26,280 Speaker 1: grass below. I must watch them when they go. The 135 00:11:26,440 --> 00:11:30,520 Speaker 1: very next morning, the forest people awakened to find a 136 00:11:30,679 --> 00:11:35,640 Speaker 1: silvery frost on the grass and feel the still air 137 00:11:36,040 --> 00:11:40,520 Speaker 1: stirred by the soft dropping of damp red, brown and 138 00:11:40,679 --> 00:11:46,640 Speaker 1: yellow leaves from the trees. Over the river and all 139 00:11:46,760 --> 00:11:51,000 Speaker 1: the lowland near it hung a heavy veil of white mist. 140 00:11:51,640 --> 00:11:55,600 Speaker 1: It is time, whispered the robins to each other. It 141 00:11:55,720 --> 00:12:00,480 Speaker 1: is time, coo the morning doves. It is time time 142 00:12:01,240 --> 00:12:08,000 Speaker 1: ride the cowbirds in their hoarse voices. All through the 143 00:12:08,080 --> 00:12:13,959 Speaker 1: forest there was restlessness and quiet haste. The juncos had 144 00:12:14,040 --> 00:12:18,240 Speaker 1: already come from the cold Northland and were resting from 145 00:12:18,320 --> 00:12:24,360 Speaker 1: their long flight. The groundhogs, the rabbits and the squirrels 146 00:12:24,600 --> 00:12:29,520 Speaker 1: were out to say goodbye. The owls peeped from their 147 00:12:29,559 --> 00:12:33,679 Speaker 1: hollow trees, shading their eyes from the strong light of 148 00:12:33,720 --> 00:12:43,479 Speaker 1: the sun. And then the travelers went. The robins started 149 00:12:43,520 --> 00:12:50,040 Speaker 1: in family parties, The mourning doves slipped quietly away, The 150 00:12:50,160 --> 00:12:55,760 Speaker 1: cowbirds went in dashing crowds, and the crows after much 151 00:12:55,840 --> 00:12:59,960 Speaker 1: talking and disputing on the treetops, took a noisy, fair 152 00:13:00,000 --> 00:13:02,880 Speaker 1: farewell of the few members of the flock who were 153 00:13:02,920 --> 00:13:07,600 Speaker 1: to remain behind, and joining other flocks from the north, 154 00:13:08,400 --> 00:13:11,560 Speaker 1: blew off in a great company, which darkened the sky 155 00:13:12,240 --> 00:13:16,040 Speaker 1: and caused a shadow to pass over the stubble field, 156 00:13:16,400 --> 00:13:24,000 Speaker 1: almost like that of a summer cloud. They're gone, sighed 157 00:13:24,040 --> 00:13:29,160 Speaker 1: the groundhog and his wife. We shall miss them sadly. Well, 158 00:13:29,760 --> 00:13:33,680 Speaker 1: we can dream about them, and that will be a comfort. 159 00:13:35,360 --> 00:13:39,960 Speaker 1: Jay Jay, shrieked a handsome crested fellow from the tree above. 160 00:13:40,720 --> 00:13:42,760 Speaker 1: What if they are gone, they will be back in 161 00:13:42,840 --> 00:13:45,600 Speaker 1: the spring, and we will have plenty to eat. What 162 00:13:45,760 --> 00:13:53,040 Speaker 1: is the use of feeling sad? Jay Jay? Not everyone 163 00:13:53,280 --> 00:13:57,040 Speaker 1: felt the same as the blue jays. The songbirds had 164 00:13:57,120 --> 00:14:01,240 Speaker 1: made many loving friends who missed them and longed for 165 00:14:01,320 --> 00:14:05,280 Speaker 1: their return when the weather grew warm again. 166 00:14:09,800 --> 00:14:13,640 Speaker 2: And that is the end of our story. Good night, 167 00:14:14,880 --> 00:14:15,560 Speaker 2: sleep tight.