In the
pear-tree above, the birds were singing merrily together, and suddenly
one piped up in the midst of the others, always the same note, exactly as
if he had a special call to give.
"There he is," cried Sami, springing up from the ground with delight.
Then he listened again, and again sounded the staccato call, clear and
sharp above the singing of all the other birds.
"Do you hear it? Do you hear it?" cried Sami in his delight. "Now he is
calling again: 'Trust! Trust! Trust! Trust!' And then they all sing
together: 'Only trust the dear Lord!'"
"You are just talking nonsense!" exclaimed Stoeffi to the happy Sami. "The
bird is more knowing than you are. That is the rain bird; I know him
well. He notices the rain-wind and is calling: 'Shower! Shower! Shower!'
Then we know it is going to rain."
But Sami would not give up what was so dear to him and kept saying
to himself:
"But he is singing: 'Trust! Trust! Trust! Trust!'"
"Keep quiet!" continued Stoeffi sharply to him. "You are nothing but a
little tramp, who can't do anything and doesn't know anything and twists
everything he hears."
Then the blood rose to Sami's cheeks and the tears came into his eyes
and, more courageously than usual towards Stoeffi, he cried:
"I don't do that, but you have done it many times!"
Then Stoeffi sprang up and seized hold of Sami to throw him down; but in
his anger Sami turned quite differently from usual, so that Stoeffi had to
call the others to help him.
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