AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A DUCK

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 54, 1 September 1934, Page 20

AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A DUCK

(Original.)

The £rst, placo I j-omeinbcr was a cosy nest in which my brothcis and sisters and I wmo smuggling. Surrounding guv nont was a Jaigo, fenced in apattmenb \i.f\\ a s|ieam, flowing through, which. I aftciwaida discovered was a fariiiyard. At the end of the stieam wfts a millpond, in ivhich mirncious other inhabitants weie having a bath.

■ I laughed and splaslietl about, little cli'oamiiiglof What wasiia store for nio iv olddr life.., :O.n.q day, Jiowvov, as wo wore fighting and, scrambling over our breakfast," motlier said: to' me, "Pueky, as you drq the eldest, you Will tepon' leave us." ■ •- ' j " "iui ishyi" I,' pestered. ' ' Jjlothpr gontly refused to answer mc.1' But;I was soon to knoiv. ■ Ono "bright dny (a very 'dismal day 'indeed for me as you will sup), a wagon capie to tho fariji, and I, -saying w> last' sadfarewojl to my mother, was packed. into it with many-other ducks. Wo. were jogged and'bumped about .'so much that, jit last,'after a gpecially hard bump, .1 found'myself falling, and with a toariy, ■bang I le'clmed^nono'.td* softly--on' tho hard cobbles.' •'Suddenly; a huge Alsatian came- bounding '■'■ and leaping; towards mo. Terror'Strleken, I Btooi; rooted to the ppotj and^was not at all ■relieved when £q picked mo up in his mouth, and took me to a house I had not noticed 'before. I was taken to a man (the , dog's master) and was treated kindly for ; , a few days. Tlien, one day, the wagon-man came ■to collect nic, and :I was taken to his r farm. There I hcaid tho :i farm'ei-.'a wife. ■-eVll. U ' thd ' VjV ''Hurry1 up, thovel I want that "duck for'"Christmas dinner!" Then, desperately, , I struggled out of his grasp and flew over the hedge'and away towards the moor. I wds- pursued by the angry farmer, the farmer's wife, and the boy. Tho farmer was waving a stick, which only caused mo to bo moro frightened. Then, as I flow over the inarsiilanrls, I espied below me my cousins, tho wild ducks, and, with a harsh squawk, I dropped down" to them, ;. and was greeted with joyous cackles. I had found peace—at last," '/WHITE FOX" (10)..

Napier,