Chapter II

Grandma lives at Jack's [house]. She has a bird, too. Grandma's bird is a green [parrot]. The parrot's name is "Pepper." [Jack] loves [Grandma], but Jack's crow does not love Grandma's parrot.

Pepper can talk like a [man], mew like a [cat], bark like a [dog]. She can cry and laugh. When Jimmy says "Caw, caw!" Pepper says "C-a-w, c-a-w!" and then laughs. [Jimmy crow] doesn't like to be laughed at. Once he flew at Pepper, and pushed her off her [perch]. But Pepper scratched him with her [talons] and pulled out a tail-feather with her [beak]. Now Jimmy keeps away from her, unless he wants to steal her [crackers].

On Christmas Eve [children] came to Jack's Tree. Mama had trimmed it with [popcorn] and [candles], and hung [presents] everywhere. When she went with a [match] to light the candles, they were gone! "Where are the candles?" cried [Mama]. "Somebody has carried them off, and I can't light the [Christmas tree]." Betty, the littlest girl, began to cry--two [tears] ran down her cheeks. [Pepper the parrot] sat on her perch cracking a [nut]. When she heard the outcry, she dropped it and screamed "Jimmy Crow, Jimmy Crow! Oh, oh! Oh, oh!" "Oh, naughty [Jimmy Crow]!" said Mama. "He has hidden them. Pepper is telling tales. Run, [children], and hunt! We'll play a new game, 'Hunt the [candle].'"

Eight pairs of [feet] ran "up stairs, down [stairs], in my lady's chamber." At last Betty tipped over a [basket], and out rolled the [candles]. The littlest girl had won! So [Mama] held her up, and she lit the Christmas Tree. [Edith Francis Foster]

[AFTER THE SNOW STORM.]

JIMMY CROW.