Living in the as they did, near the , Jolly and his wife knew more about Farmer Green’s family than any of the other birds in Pleasant Valley, except maybe . Being a house wren, Rusty was naturally on the best of terms with all the people in the farmhouse.  
But all summer long Rusty Wren never strayed far from home. So it was Jolly Robin who told his friends in the woods many strange stories about what happened near the orchard. His account of the golden bird was only one of many 96curious tales that he related to the wondering wood-creatures.
 
Being so cheerful and having so much interesting news to tell, Jolly Robin was welcome wherever he went. And when his friends met him in the woods or the fields they were sure to stop and ask him if he hadn’t some new story to tell. One day old Mr. Crow even took the trouble to fly all the way across the cornfield to the edge of the woods, where his sharp eyes had seen Jolly Robin eating wild cherries.
 
“I say, what do you know that’s new?” Mr. Crow asked him. The old gentleman was a very curious person. Being a great gossip, he was always on the for something to talk about.
 
“I don’t believe I’ve seen anything lately that would interest you,” Jolly replied, “unless it’s the four-armed man.”
 
Mr. Crow looked up quickly.
 
“What’s that you say?” he exclaimed.
 
“The four-armed man!” Jolly Robin repeated.
 
“Is that a joke?” Mr. Crow asked. He was inclined to be suspicious, because he always disliked having tricks played upon him. “I’ve heard of—and seen—a two-headed calf,” he remarked. “But a four-armed man is a little too much for me to believe in, unless I him with my own eyes.”
 
Jolly Robin laughed.
 
“It’s no joke at all!” he declared.
 
“Then............