against the little Chinese seabird and against her brothers and sisters, and the little seabird, holding the red cord in her beak, listened with interest. For many hours after the boys had left the island, the little Chinese seabird sat meditating over what she had heard. So deeply did she meditate that she forgot all about the pain of her broken wing.
Towards evening her brothers and sisters came home and settled over the island like a wide-spreading mantle of wings.
For some time the little Chinese seabird remained perfectly still and quiet. She kept saying to herself, "Why should I care? Why should I care?" But as she did care, she suddenly let fall the bright red cord and opened and closed her beak several times.
"What is all that noise?" inquired the eldest seabird.
"Dear brother," returned the little Chinese seabird, "I hope I have not disturbed you; but is not this a very lovely night? See how radiant the moon."
"Go to sleep! Go to sleep!"
"Did you have an enjoyable flight today, brother?"
"Tiresome little bird, go to sleep, go to sleep." It was the little Chinese seabird's eldest sister that last spoke.
