Blacky the Crow
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Blacky the Crow - Thornton W. Burgess
BLACKY THE CROW
By THORNTON W. BURGESS
Blacky the Crow
By Thornton W. Burgess
Illustrated by Harrison Cady
Print ISBN 13: 978-1-4209-7117-0
eBook ISBN 13: 978-1-4209-7118-7
This edition copyright © 2020. Digireads.com Publishing.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
Cover Image: a detail of an illustration by Harrison Cady, published by Little, Brown and Company, Boston, c. 1922.
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CONTENTS
I. BLACKY THE CROW MAKES A DISCOVERY
II. BLACKY MAKES SURE
III. BLACKY FINDS OUT WHO OWNS THE EGGS
IV. THE CUNNING OF BLACKY
V. BLACKY CALLS HIS FRIENDS
VI. HOOTY THE OWL DOESN’T STAY STILL
VII. BLACKY TRIES ANOTHER PLAN
VIII. HOOTY COMES TO MRS. HOOTY’S AID
IX: BLACKY THINKS OF FARMER BROWN’S BOY
X: FARMER BROWN’S BOY AND HOOTY
XI. FARMER BROWN’S BOY IS TEMPTED
XII. A TREE-TOP BATTLE
XIII. BLACKY HAS A CHANGE OF HEART
XIV. BLACKY MAKES A CALL
XV. BLACKY DOES A LITTLE LOOKING ABOUT
XVI. BLACKY FINDS OTHER SIGNS
XVII. BLACKY WATCHES A QUEER PERFORMANCE
XVIII. BLACKY BECOMES VERY SUSPICIOUS
XIX: BLACKY MAKES MORE DISCOVERIES
XX: BLACKY DROPS A HINT
XXI. AT LAST BLACKY IS SURE
XXII. BLACKY GOES HOME HAPPY
XXIII. BLACKY CALLS FARMER BROWN’S BOY
XXIV. FARMER BROWN’S BOY DOES SOME THINKING
XXV. BLACKY GETS A DREADFUL SHOCK
XXVI. WHY THE HUNTER GOT NO DUCKS
XXVII. THE HUNTER GIVES UP
XXVIII. BLACKY HAS A TALK WITH DUSKY THE BLACK DUCK
XXIX: BLACKY DISCOVERS AN EGG
XXX: BLACKY SCREWS UP HIS COURAGE
XXXI. AN EGG THAT WOULDN’T BEHAVE
XXXII. WHAT BLACKY DID WITH THE STOLEN EGG
BIOGRAPHICAL AFTERWORD
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 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.
Must be it was a little lump of snow,
thought he. Yet if ever I saw an egg, that looked like one. Jumping grasshoppers, how good an egg would taste right now!
You know Blacky has a weakness for eggs. The more he thought about it, the hungrier he grew. Several times he almost made up his mind to fly straight over there and make sure, but he didn’t quite dare. If it were an egg, it must belong to somebody, and perhaps it would be best to find out who. Suddenly Blacky shook himself. I must be dreaming,
said he. There couldn’t, there just couldn’t be an egg at this time of year, or in that old tumble-down nest! I’ll just fly away and forget it.
So he flew away, but he couldn’t forget it. He kept thinking of it all day, and when he went to sleep that night he made up his mind to have another look at that old nest.
II. Blacky Makes Sure
"As true as ever I’ve cawed a caw
That was a new-laid egg I saw."
What are you talking about?
demanded Sammy Jay, coming up just in time to hear the last part of what Blacky the Crow was mumbling to himself.
Oh nothing, Cousin, nothing at all,
replied Blacky. I was just talking foolishness to myself.
Sammy looked at him sharply. You aren’t feeling sick, are you, Cousin Blacky?
he asked. Must be something the matter with you when you begin talking about new-laid eggs, when everything’s covered with snow and ice. Foolishness is no name for it. Whoever heard of such a thing as a new-laid egg this time of year.
Nobody, I guess,
replied Blacky. I told you I was just talking foolishness. You see, I’m so hungry that I just got to thinking what I’d have if I could have anything I wanted. That made me think of eggs, and I tried to think just how I would feel if I should suddenly see a great big egg right in front of me. I guess I must have said something about it.
"I guess you must have. It isn’t egg time yet, and