there's nothing to compare with
in earth or sea or up above.
if love prevailed everywhere there would be no terrible wars, no prisons, no dreadful poverty, no bitter quarrels between those who work and those for whom they work. and on the green meadows and in the green forest there would be no fear of man and no frightful suffering from traps and terrible guns. love, that wonderful great thing which is contained in one little word of four letters, could and would bring joy and happiness to every heart for all time if only we would give it a chance.
it was love in the heart of farmer brown's boy which made him indignant when farmer brown hinted that he might take his gun and shoot bob white and his family. you see, he had made friends with the bob whites and learned to love them, and no one can bear the thought of hurting those they love. he had replied to his father respectfully, but his face had flushed red and in his voice there had been the ring of indignation, which is a certain kind of anger. farmer brown actually chuckled when he heard it. then he turned and held out his big hand.
“shake hands, son,” said he. “i was just trying you out to see what you would say. you know you used to be very fond of hunting, and i was just wondering if your love of killing, or trying to kill, was stronger than your sense of right and justice. now i know that it isn't, and i'm ever so glad. so you think the bob whites have earned our protection?”
fanner brown's boy's face flushed again, but this time it was with pleasure.
“oh, dad, i'm so glad you don't want them killed to eat!” he cried. “i ought to have known that you were just teasing me. i did like to hunt with my gun once, but that was when i didn't know as much as i do now. it was exciting to try to find the birds and then see if i could hit them. i just thought of them as wild things good to eat and so smart that i had to be a little bit smarter to get them. i never thought of them as having any feelings. but now i know that they love, and fear, and suffer pain, and work, and play, and are glad and sad, just like people. i know because i've watched them. so i don't want to hurt them or allow them to be hurt any more than i would real people. why i love 'em! i wouldn't have anything happen to them for the world. i'm dreadfully afraid something will happen to some of them when the hunting season begins. can't we do anything for them?”
“we can put up some signs warning all hunters to keep off of our farm and forbidding all shooting,” replied farmer brown. “then if bob white and his family are smart enough to stay on our land i guess they will be safe, but if they go on the land of other people they are likely to be shot unless—” he paused.
“unless i can get other people who own land near us to put up signs and keep the hunters off and promise not to shoot the bob whites themselves!” exclaimed farmer brown's boy eagerly.
farmer brown smiled. “exactly, my son,” said he. “it is your chance to get even; to do something for the little friends who have done so much for you. tomorrow is saturday, and there will be no school. you may have all day in which to see what you can do with the neighbors to save bob white and his family from the hunters. listen! bob would be a blessing if for nothing but his message of good cheer. but to the cheer he puts into the world is the daily help he gives. the man who kills bob white kills one of our best friends and helpers, and his shot hurts us more than it does poor little bob. now let's go over to the barn and see about making those signs.”
