Granny came forward and looked at what the child was holding lovingly
in her hand. There she saw a tiny chick-a-dee, whose wing was
evidently broken by the rough and boisterous winds of the night
before, and who had taken shelter in the safe, dry toe of the old
wooden shoe. She gently took the little bird out of Gretchen's hands,
and skilfully bound his broken wing to his side, so that he need not
hurt himself trying to fly with it. Then she showed Gretchen how to
make a nice warm nest for the little stranger, close beside the fire
and when their breakfast was ready, she let Gretchen feed the little
bird with a few moist crumbs.

Later in the day Gretchen carried the fresh, green boughs to the old
sick man by the mill, and on her way home stopped to enjoy the
Christmas toys of some other children that she knew, never once
wishing they were hers. When she reached home she found that the
little bird had gone to sleep. Soon, however, he opened his eyes and
stretched his head up, saying just as plain as a bird can say:

"Now, my new friends, I want you to give me something more to eat."
Gretchen gladly fed him again, and then, holding him in her lap, she
softly and gently stroked his gray feathers until the little creature
seemed to lose all fear of her. That evening Granny taught her a
Christmas hymn and told her another beautiful Christmas story. Then
Gretchen made up a funny little story to tell the birdie. He winked
his eyes and turned his head from side to side in such a droll fashion
that Gretchen laughed until the tears came.

As Granny and she got ready for bed that night, Gretchen put her arms
softly around Granny's neck, and whispered: "What a beautiful