THE CUCKOO TAKES A RIDE

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 175, 20 April 1929, Page 24

THE CUCKOO TAKES A RIDE

In the sprjng of last year, there wa: a little shining cuckoo, who Hew witl a great many of his relations auc friends, from New Guinea all the waj from New Guinea to South Eastern Australia. Here they remained for t little time; they seemed happy t< stay, all but this one little bird, wb< was so anxious to get back to his ok home in New Zealand that the delaj quite vexed him. Each-day he hoped they would al be ready to go, and he became mon and more impatient, until he conic wait no longer, so he set off by him self. In fact, he was in such a hurrj that he went without taking the reallj

good rest he should have done before adventuring on the long journey. Still, there was a good westerly breeze, and it helped him a great deal; but, as the night drew on, and he knew he had still a. long, long way to go, he realised he was very tired, and began, to wonder how he was going to survive. He kept on bravely, flying as fast as he could, but the hours- passed slowly, he felt sure bis strength would soon be gone. Then he heard a strange humming sound ; it grew louder and louder, and be became so frightened that; he yas just about to collapse. ... But the drumming' noise came nearer and nearer, and in despair, he turned to look at the horrible monster that was chasing him. In the dim light of the coming

dawn, it certainly looked very big, but not so terrifying as he expected, for the huge creature was flying, too, and the cuckoo naturally had a fellow-feel-ing for it. “This thing,” he thought to’ himself, “is so clever it must be a kind of bird,” and at once the idea came to him that it would give

him a ride. Acting on the impulse, the' poor, tired little cuckoo glided down ou to the broad back of the flying monster. Before long, his head was under his wing, and be was fast asleep. When he woke up it was broad daylight, and he saw the blue bills he had been longing to reach. He was quite rested and fresh now, so warbling a very grateful little “Thank you,” he flew gaily off, and in a very few hours was singing happily in a garden in bis own home-land. He was very pleased to hear some children calling out, excitedly, “Daddy, did you hear that Shining Cuckoo? The first this year!” But they didn’t know, any more than he did, that if it had not been for Captain Kingsford-Smith and the big Southern Cross, that little cuckoo might never have come home again,— P.M.G. (Marton).