Of all the boys in the street who sang the mocking song about the storks,
not one was so determined to go on with it as he who first began it. Yet
he was a little fellow not more than six years old. To the young storks he
appeared at least a hundred, for he was so much bigger than their father and
mother. To be sure, storks cannot be expected to know how old children and grown-up people are.
So they determined to have their revenge on this boy, because he began the song first and would
keep on with it. The young storks were very angry, and GREw worse as they grew older; so at last
their mother was obliged to promise that they should be revenged, but not until the day of their
departure.
We must see first, how you acquit yourselves at the grand review," said she. "If you get on badly
there, the general will thrust his beak through you, and you will be killed, as the boys said,
though not exactly in the same manner. So we must wait and see."
"You shall see," said the young birds, and then they took such pains and practised so well every
day, that at last it was quite a pleasure to see them fly so lightly and prettily. As soon as the
autumn arrived, all the storks began to assemble together before taking their departure for warm
countries during the winter. Then the review commenced. They flew over forests and villages to
show what they could do, for they had a long journey before them. The young storks performed their
part so well that they received a mark of honor, with frogs and snakes as present. These presents
were the best part of the affair, for they could eat the frogs and snakes, which they very quickly
did.
"Now let us have our revenge," they cried.
"Yes, certainly," cried the mother stork. "I have thought upon the best way to be revenged. I know
the pond in which all the little children lie, waiting till the storks come to take them to their
parents. The prettiest little babies lie there dreaming more sweetly than they will ever dream in
the time to come. All parents are glad to have a little child, and children are as pleased with a
little brother or sister. Now we will fly to the pond and fetch a little baby for each of the
children who did not sing that naughty song to make game of the storks."
"But the naughty boy, who began the song first, what shall we do to him?" cried the young storks.
"there lies in the pond a little dead baby who has dreamed itself to death," said the mother. "We
will take it to the naughty boy, and he will cry because we have brought him a little dead brother
.But you have not forgotten the good boy who said it was a shame to laugh at animals: we will
take him a little brother and sister too, because he was good. He is called Peter, and you shall
all be called Peter in future."
So they all did what their mother had arranged, and from that day, even till now, all the storks
have been called Peter.