One of these
would buy him supper and a bed, he reflected, so he transformed
himself into a magpie and, flying through the open window, caught up
one of the gold pieces in his beak and flew out again before the old
man could interfere. Indeed, the old man who was robbed was quite
helpless, for he dared not leave his pile of gold to chase the magpie,
and before he could place the gold in a sack in his pocket the robber
bird was out of sight and to seek it would be folly.
Kiki Aru flew to a group of trees and, dropping the gold piece to
the ground, resumed his proper shape, and then picked up the money and
put it in his pocket.
"You'll be sorry for this!" exclaimed a small voice just over his head.
Kiki looked up and saw that a sparrow, perched upon a branch, was
watching him.
"Sorry for what?" he demanded.
"Oh, I saw the whole thing," asserted the sparrow. "I saw you look
in the window at the gold, and then make yourself into a magpie and
rob the poor man, and then I saw you fly here and make the bird into
your former shape. That's magic, and magic is wicked and unlawful;
and you stole money, and that's a still greater crime.
Pages:
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33