THE BABY SHOW

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 36, 12 February 1943, Page 5

THE BABY SHOW

(By PAYE GRANT) This story was one of the runners-Hp in the November competition, and is good for an 11-year-old. However, there is a point worth mentioning. Hedge-sparrows act as "hosts" for cuckoos in England, bnt in New Zealand these birds are rare. House-sparrows are the common sparrow, and they are never chosen to hatch the eggs of cuckoos. The grey warbler is the bird most often chosen in this country by both the ordinary cuckoo and the shining, or long-tailed cuckoo. There was great excitement in the wood; all the birds were chattering and talking, and up in the tree-tops the magpies were laughing. Mr. Hedge-Sparrow returned to his wife in the hedge on the border of the wood with the supper he had been sent out to fetch. As he alighted on the edge of the nest and popped a juicy spider into her mouth, it was quite evident that he had an important piece of news for her. "What is the matter?" asked Mrs. Hedge - Sparrow rather impatiently. "These noisy neighbours are making my head ache. What is the fuss about?" "I'm glad they haven't "told you," said her husband. "I hopecl Yd be the first. Well, what do you think? There is to be a baby show in a few weeks' time for the finest baby hedge-sparrow, robin or chaffinch. I think we stand a very good chance," he added proudly. Mrs. Hedge-Sparrow twittered proudly. "He's the best baby I ever had. We must feed him up fbr this show. He will get first prize, I'm sure, although Mrs. Chaffinch thinks there never was a baby like hers." So in the weeks that followed the baby hedge-sparrow was fattened with worms and other delicacies. It grew and grew till it was bigger than its parents. The proud mother said that Mrs. Chaffinch did not know how to feed her baby. At last the great day came. When the judge came to Mrs. Hedge-Sparrow's nest he put his head on one side and said: "My dear people, this is not a hedgesparrow but a cuckoo, and as such is disqualified. The prize therefore must go to Mrs. Chaffinch's splendid little son!"