Un estornell, el mofeta septentrional, se atura en un arbre damunt el cap de Tom, i refila les imitacions de sos veins en un rapte de gaubança; després una cucala de veu aguda, d'un blau ardent i brillador, davalla precipitadament i s'atura damunt un branquinyol, gairebé a l'abast del noi, enravena son cap a una banda, i ulla la gent estranya amb una consumidora curiositat; un esquirol cendrós i un gros companyó de la família guineuenca passaren escapolint-se, girant-se a intervals per inspeccionar i garlar amb els minyons, perque aquells animals boscans no havien vist fins aleshores, ben segur, una cara humana, i amb prou feines sabien si havien d'espantar-se o no.
A catbird, the Northern mocker, lit in a tree over Tom's head, and trilled out her imitations of her neighbors in a rapture of enjoyment; then a shrill jay swept down, a flash of blue flame, and stopped on a twig almost within the boy's reach, cocked his head to one side and eyed the strangers with a consuming curiosity; a gray squirrel and a big fellow of the "fox" kind came skurrying along, sitting up at intervals to inspect and chatter at the boys, for the wild things had probably never seen a human being before and scarcely knew whether to be afraid or not.