Two Little Yellow Birds

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 261, 31 July 1937, Page 9 (Supplement)

Two Little Yellow Birds

(A Story For Bird Month.) J2ROTHER Yellow Bird said afterwards that he never meant to do such a ■* thing, but when he saw the open window of the breakfast room something just made him pick up his tiny wings and fly out. And Sister Yellow Bird had to follow, because they were twins, and did everything together. “Where are we going,” she asked. “Round, and round, and round the world,” he sang. “Isn’t the sea lovely?” “Yes,” replied his sister, “but I wish I’d finished my breakfast seed!’ They flew all the morning, and then Sister Yellow Bird said, “It must lie a very big world, yet I can still see the lighthouse that waves its light to us!” “No, no, my dear,” replied Brother Yellow Bird, “lots of places have a lighthouse. Shall we join these little birds for lunch?” They flew down among a flock of sparrows, who stared and whispered, “They’ve fallen into the paint pot!” But the Yellow Birds knew they didn’t mean to tease, so they took no notice; and when they had finished, they chirped, “Thank you very much indeed,” and went on with their journey. At tea time, Sister Yellow Bird said: “We’ve been flying long enough to have gone at least twice round, and round, and round about the world, and yet I can still see our. lighthouse.” “No, my dear, no,” replied Brother Yellow Bird. (But he wasn't quite so sure about it now.) They sat on the beach, and had tea with a friendly sea bird, and then on they went again, till it began to grow dark. “Brother,” said Sister Yellow Bird, “when we come to the end of the world, what shall we do?” “Turn back,” be said quickly. “Then why not do it now?” “No, no, no, no,” chirped her brother. “But we can rest on the rail of that ship if you like.” And there they perched. And then Sister Yellow Bird said very bravely: “Well, you can keep on flying, but I’m going home, if you'll tell me the way.” At that Brother Yellow Bird got still more chirpy, and danced on the rail. “If I knew, I’d tell you, and go myself,” he said at last. “But I don’t.” Before she could answer, the ship said sharply, “You’d better hurry up and find your way, as I sail for America in ten minutes!” Then both the birds gave long chirps and whispered together. “It’s the only thing to do, as we’re lost,” said Brother Yellow Bird. “Please, Lady Ship,” he asked, “will you take us .to America?” “No,” she said at once, “if you can’t find your way home from here, how could you find it from there —little sillies? I sail in five minutes now.” She floated on the waves, rocking, and waving her flag, while the two tiny birds sat. still on the rail, very tired and very scared. Then the ship pulled herself up, and said, “Now!" But all at once she sat down again, heavily. “It’s no use,” she puffed. “I can’t steal off witli you poor little things sitting there! I’ll wait till the captain comes to ask why I haven’t sailed, and then he’ll find you and know the best thing to do.” So she stayed by the pier another ten minutes, till her captain came along. “Now, what’s this, what’s this?” he said. But, when he saw the birds, he said, “Why, you must be the two that live at the Tower House,” and be told a kind man on the pier to take them to their home. Brother and Sister Yellow Bird did not mind at all, and they both fell fast asleep while they were on their way. And when they got to their own tree, it was so nice to see it that they said they would never fly off again, round, and round, and round about the world.