If the fresh-water birds follow my advice, they will move
north immediately.'
"The last speaker was the snow sparrow, who had flown along the western
boundary.
"'I don't know what the loon means by his lakes, nor do I know what
countries the grouse, the lark, and the gull can have seen,' he said. 'I
found one vast mountainous region up north. I didn't run across any
fields or any pine forests, but peak after peak and highlands. I have
seen ice fields and snow and mountain brooks, with water as white as
milk. No farmers nor cattle nor homesteads have I seen, but only Lapps
and reindeer and huts met my eyes. If the cliff birds follow my advice,
they will move north immediately.'
"When the five scouts had presented their reports to the assembly, they
began to call one another liars, and were ready to fly at each other to
prove the truth of their arguments.
"But the old and wise birds who had sent them out, listened to their
accounts with joy, and calmed their fighting propensities.
"'You mustn't quarrel among yourselves,' they said. 'We understand from
your reports that up north there are large mountain tracts, a big lake
region, great forest lands, a wide plain, and a big group of islands.
This is more than we have expected--more than many a mighty kingdom can
boast within its borders.
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