It happened at the time when our Lord created the world, when he made not only heaven and earth, but all the animals and the plants as well, and at the same time gave them their names.

Many stories have come to us from that time, and if we knew them all we should have light upon everything in this world which we cannot comprehend.

It happened one day, when our Lord sat in his paradise painting little birds, that the colors in his paint pot gave out. The goldfinch would have been without color if our Lord had not wiped all his paint brushes on its feathers.

It was then that the donkey got his long ears because he could not remember the name that had been given him. No sooner had he taken a few steps over the meadows of paradise than he forgot, and three times he came back to ask his name. At last our Lord grew somewhat impatient, took him by his two ears and said, “Your name is ass, ass, ass!” And while he spoke, our Lord pulled both of his ears, so that the ass might hear better and remember what was said to him.

It was on the same day, also, that the bee was punished. When the bee was created, she began immediately to gather honey, and the animals and human beings who caught the delicious odor of the honey came and wanted to taste it. But the bee wanted to keep it all for herself, and with her poisonous sting pursued every living creature that approached her hive. Our Lord saw this and at once called the bee to him and punished her. “I gave you the gift of gathering honey, which is the sweetest thing in all creation,” said our Lord, “but I did not give you the right to be cruel to your neighbor. Remember well that every time you sting any creature who desires to taste your honey, you shall surely die!”

Oh, yes! It was at that time, too, that the cricket became blind and the ant lost her wings. So many strange things happened on that day!

Our Lord sat and planned and created all day long, and toward evening he conceived the idea of making a little gray bird. “Remember, your name is Robin Redbreast,” said our Lord to the bird as soon as it was finished. Then he held it in the palm of his open hand and let it fly.

After the bird had been testing his wings a while and had seen something of the beautiful world in which he was to live, he became curious to see what he himself was like. He noticed that he was entirely gray, and that his breast was just as gray as all the rest of him. Robin Redbreast twisted and turned in all directions as he looked at his reflection in the water, but he couldn’t find a single red feather. Then he flew back to our Lord.

Our Lord sat there on his throne. Out of his hands came butterflies that fluttered about his head, doves that cooed on his shoulders; out of the earth beneath him grew the rose, the lily, and the daisy.

The little bird’s heart beat heavily with fright, but with easy curves he flew nearer and nearer our Lord, till at last he rested on our Lord’s hand. Then our Lord asked what the little bird wanted. “I only wish to ask you about one thing,” said the little bird.

“What is it you wish to know?” asked our Lord.

“Why should I be called Redbreast, when I am all gray from the bill to the very end of my tail? Why am I called Redbreast, when I do not possess one single red feather?” The bird looked beseechingly at our Lord with his tiny black eyes – then turned his head. About him he saw pheasants, all red under a sprinkle of gold dust; parrots with marvelous red neck bands; cocks with red combs; to say nothing about the butterflies, the goldfish, and the roses! And, naturally, he thought how little he needed – just one tiny drop of color on his breast and he, too, would be a beautiful bird, and his name would fit him. “Why should I be called Redbreast when I am so entirely gray?” asked the bird once again, and waited for our Lord to say, “Ah, my friend, I see that I have forgotten to paint your breast feathers red, but wait a moment and it shall be done.”

But our Lord only smiled a little and said, “I have called you Robin Redbreast, and Robin Redbreast shall your name be, but you must look to it that you yourself earn your red breast feathers.” Then our Lord opened his hand and let the bird fly out once again into the world.

The bird flew out of paradise, deeply thoughtful.

What could a little bird like him do to earn red feathers for himself? The only thing he could think of was to make his nest in a brier bush. He built it in among the thorns in the close thicket. It would appear that he waited for a rose leaf to cling to his throat and give it color.

Countless years had come and gone since that day which was the happiest in all the world! Since then animals and people had left paradise and spread themselves over the earth. Human beings had already advanced so far that they had learned to cultivate the earth and sail the seas. They had procured clothes and ornaments for themselves, and long since had learned to build big temples and great cities – such as Thebes, Rome, and Jerusalem.