A story of compassion

Press, 17 August 1979, Page 11

A story of compassion

The author, George Mendoza, who has won prizes with his books for youngsters, is deeply concerned by what he feels is a scarcity of “compassion” in television programmes for children. It was this nagging sense of a “short-coming” which inspired him to write a story which, in its dramatised form, is this afteriioon’s Family Hour Festival feature on SPTV. “MSehePs Mixed-Up Musical Bird” is the name of the drama which is really a tender tale from the past of the famous com-

poser, Michel Legrand. Some years ago Legrand found an injured bird near his home on the outskirts of Paris and took it home with him in the hope of nursing it back to health. “I knew virtually nothing about birds,” explained Michel, “and I didn’t at first even know what kind of bird it was. I had to get advice from friends on how to care for it.” Whatever he did, said Legrand, it must have been right because the bird did regain its health and after several attempts at flying out the window it finally succeeded.

“I was amazed that he kept coming back,” said Legrand. “It was then that I learned that my bird was a magpie and that magpies, once they find a home, always stay nearby and never move far away. For two year it was iny companion.” Legrand happened to tell of his story to Mendoza who, with two growing youngsters of his own, recognized the potential of the tale. In the animated story, Legrand tells his own daughter about his bird.