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 doesn’t dare sleep alone, but Happy
Jack Squirrel says that Blacky hasn’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 wasn’t there now; he had gone south
in the fell and wouldn’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 Blacky
learned ever so long ago that there is nothing like
making sure that there is no danger. So, instead
of flying straight to that old nest, he first flew
over the tree so that he could look down into it.
Right away he saw something that made him gasp and
blink his eyes. It was quite large and white,
and it looked — it looked very much indeed
like an egg! Do you wonder that Blacky gasped
and blinked? Here was snow on the ground, and
Rough Brother North Wind and Jack Frost had given
no hint that they were even thinking of going back
to the Far North. The idea of any one laying
an egg at this time of year! Blacky flew over
to a tall pine-tree to think it over.
