1933-12-21 — Page 12

J

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HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1933.

The Marriage Of

Maggot Pie

This is another story of the queer tricks played by little Jack Sparrow in Birdville: it was told to me by an old bird that I know very well, so If you don't think it is true you must blame him and not me, I only mention this because many people have come to me and said I was pulling, the longbow when I told that story the Cuckoo's of Mrs. Dove and eggs.. "How could a bird, use paints?" they say, and I have to answer that I really don't, know and can only pass on the stories as they come to me. I do know that Swallows and many other blrds know how to work up smal balls of mud to build or mend

that thetr nests with; also

the of many eggs

waterbirds get stained by the juices of the reeds that they lay the eggs on. So I can only suppose that Jack Spar- row, being a very sharp little fellow, had noticed this and had learnt to stain balls of mud with the juices of plants and flowers. and so had learnt to paint.

to

to have a pint of Adam's Ale there was always somebody suggest that Mr. Shrike's legs should be pulled: and he got so huffy that he stumped-out leaving his sle behind him. And that, of course is the origin of the pressfort "to pulled."

ex-

have your leg

While all these excitements and jokes were going on about the wedding, young Maggot Fle wasn't having too good a time because the true facts of the case. were that he hadn't even got his nest Now this is a most im's ready. portant matter among the birds because the wedding can't take place if the nest isn't prepared. and Parson, Crow is bound to And out about this.

When two birds are going to be married the first question the Parson asks is "have you got a nest?" and unless one of them can answer "Yes" he won't go on with the marriage. This doesn't mean that the nest must be com- pleted; it generally isn't because the inside of it must be Anished by the lady who has to sit in it so that it shall fit her properly: but it must at least be commenced in the form of what is known as a "shell" That is why so many birds before they are married will always be carrying bits of sticks or straws with which they build a little shell: then when Parson Crow says "Have you got a nest?” they can both chirp "Yes" and he says "Bless you my children-Hop of," and it's all over except pay- ing the fee...

Now in this story I am going to tell you. Jack didn't need to use any paints, though he did 18e a lttle mud. to get the effect he needed; and that confirms my paints wete theory of how his made. But I mustn't get ahead of this story by telling you about that now. This is a difficult enough story to tell. anyway. because SO many things

were going on at опсе that nobody knew what was happening until after it had all happened-which isn't a very clear way of putting it: but that is the way it was put by the old bird who told the tale to me, and I dared not in- Now in this case I am sorry to terrupt to ask what he meant say that young Maggot Pie had because birds have very short been very lazy and had only add- memories and if you interrupted a few sticks to an old nest in them for one second while they a Gingko tree near his father's are talking to you, they ly off home as for his bride Maggle, she at a tangent and begin thinking had only recently down over of something entirely different from the other end of Birdville Which. after all, is very much" and had never had a 'chance to like some human beings I know. do ang building. And just on

the wedding morning when young Maggot thought he was quite safe with his new home a to take terrible struggle began

the old place for possession of nest he had chosen. It appears that for some reason all the Magpies in the neighbourhood had Gingko tree discovered that the was a lucky one, so a party from End came and threw the East Maggot out: then a party from the West decided to throw the Eastern party out, and so it went on until there were at least, thirty-four Magpies all struggling and fight- He Xing for poor Maggot's nest.

This tale all began when the birds heard that young Maggot Ple was going to be married; I can't say

that he was popular, but he was very well known, being a/friend of Jack Sparrow's and a bit of a bad lad in this time However, when the birds heard that he was going to marry young Maggie Pie they all looked pleased and, -as it was the very first marriage of the year, they made a great to do about it. The "Mynah's Arms" was all decorated for the festivities and Pako Mynah, the landlord, got in new stock of Adam's Treble Ale. "All the ladies dashed round to Madame Oriole's dressmaking establishment to order new dresses

very disappointed

and were

a

to

find that she had not yet come back from Cochin China with a the latest models. So Madame Hawinch the local "modiste" did a thriving trade; the bulbuls all sent out for new white neck. cloths, the Grey Tits bought new black aprons, and the Azure- Winged Magpies got new white tips for their tails because the old ones had got bedraggled during the winter. And, belleve me, the husbands of Birdville got sorr wing-tips pulling them in and out of their pants' pockets.

was heart-broken; there wasn't time to build a new one and he daren't break the news to Maggie.

There was Parson Crow with his sitting up beautiful white stole in an Ash tree; there was Mr. Magistrate ali Scops-Dwi "the ready to sign the marriage lines; the six Miss Azure-Wings who were to act as bridesmaids, were all waiting in their new wedding clothes, ready to be called. Down in the main branches of the

all the birds Gingko tree sitting round looking very solemn and when the bridegroom didn't appear Parson Craw whispered to Pako Mynah and asked him to play something appropriate on his pipes to fill the gap.

"

were

Then Mr., Shrike the butcher did a wonderful trade too, becau- se all the richer birds were giving Old Pako Mynah had been so feasts. The thorn-tree on which busy entertaining all his guests he kept, his shoek was simply at the "Arms" that he was all covered with Beetles. Frogs and

muddled up, so instead of play- all sorts of delicacies such as ing "The Voice that breathed o'er Lizards and Snaik. And there Birdville" with variations, he was Mr. Shrike wearing “a blue struck up with "He was her Man and white striped- apron, afttinghe done her Wrong" and all the on the highest twig of the thorn-birds present laughed so much tree shouting out

"Walk-up. that Mr. Scops Owl signalled for walk-up, Walk up! Buy, Buy, Buy, Constable Woodpecker to come Buy Buy.!!"

and quell the riot. :

And then the first funny thing

Constable Woodpecker came up happened; Mr. Shrike got so keen at the double and after giving a on trying to sell his goods that

warning signal with his rattle. he began to call "Who wants a nice juicy, steak? Buy, Buy, Buy said solemnly "Now then, you faced all the congregation and I've got some lovely legs!" 50 Uttle Bertie Bulbul who was pass can't do this kind of thing ere, ing flew into the bush and began you know." Everybody Stopped. looking under Mr. Shrike's apron. laughing except little Jack Spar- "What are you doing, boy?" ad row who lay down roaring with Mr. Shrike: and when Bertie said mirth until Constable Woodpeck- "I want to see your lovely legs, er grabbed him by the collar and

threw him out of the tree. Mr. Shrike was in suche Tage that he would have bilten Bertie's

This was the very thing that head off. if he hadn't ducked. quickly and down way. This Jack needed to bring him to his made all the birds laugh so much senses and, as he uttered to the that they nearly fell down, be- ground, who should he and but his old friend Maggot Ple looking cause the Shrikes all think they angrily up at the Gingko tree are ilke the aristocratic isparrow Hawk family who are very power where the thirty-four Magpies ful and much respected by other were fighting for his nest Now. birds: but the Hawks have long treatment Had sharpened up Constable Woodpecker's rough graceful legs of which, they are very proud, and the Shrikes always Jack's wits and even as he fell to keep their shorter legs covered the ground he had thought of a up by sitting in the tops of ever-plan. "Follow me quickly be green trees so that they won't be said to Maggot and flew off at seen. So you may imagine how great speed to the nearest pond. angry Mr. Shrike was over, this There he got some nice soft mud Incident-but even that wasn't and fold Maggot to dab it on his the end of it. When they started white breast until it was streaky

to talk it over at the lynan's all over, and while he was doing Arms" somebody said that this Jack went on in search of

5Mr Kingfisher Shrike ought to have idle vašega Dulled every day to make them longer, and whenever he went in

(Continued of Page 8)

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