8419-286667-0000 THE DANCE OF THE SAND HILL CRANES ONE FINE DAY IN SPRING A GREAT FLOCK OF SAND HILL CRANES CAME FROM THE SOUTH THEY WERE FLYING HIGH AND QUIETLY BECAUSE THE WEATHER WAS BRIGHT IF IT HAD BEEN STORMY
8419-286667-0001 OR IF THEY HAD BEEN FLYING BY NIGHT AS THEY USUALLY DID THEY WOULD HAVE STAYED NEARER THE GROUND AND THEIR LEADER WOULD HAVE TRUMPETED LOUDLY TO LET HIS FOLLOWERS KNOW WHICH WAY HE WAS GOING THEY WOULD ALSO HAVE TRUMPETED BUT MORE SOFTLY TO TELL HIM THAT THEY WERE COMING AFTER
8419-286667-0002 THEY WERE A FINE COMPANY TO LOOK UPON ORDERLY STRONG AND DIGNIFIED THEIR LONG NECKS WERE STRETCHED OUT STRAIGHT AHEAD THEIR LONG LEGS STRAIGHT BEHIND AND THEY BEAT THE AIR WITH SLOW REGULAR STROKES OF THE STRONG WINGS
8419-286667-0003 AS THEY CAME NEAR THE POND THEY FLEW LOWER AND LOWER UNTIL ALL SWEPT DOWN TO THE EARTH AND ALIGHTED TALL AND STATELY BY THE EDGE OF THE WATER THEY HAD EATEN NOTHING FOR SEVERAL DAYS AND WERE SOON HUNTING FOR FOOD SOME ON LAND
8419-286667-0004 AND SOME IN THE WATER FOR THEY HAD STOPPED TO FEED AND REST THOSE WHO HUNTED IN THE WATER DID SO VERY QUIETLY A CRANE WOULD STAND ON ONE LEG WITH HIS HEAD AGAINST HIS BREAST SO QUIETLY THAT ONE MIGHT THINK HIM ASLEEP BUT AS SOON AS ANYTHING EATABLE CAME NEAR