"THE WHITE BLACKBIRDS"

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 60, 8 September 1934, Page 20

"THE WHITE BLACKBIRDS"

(Oiiginal, by "Medusa," 17, Seatoun.) OLD settled himself comfortably on his branch before-begip'ihg his afternoon talk/to his crowd of young listeners. "Well, mjlhicks,'' he began, "it is a strange and rather mysterious story I have chpe'n ■ to' tell you this afternoon; but judge, .for yourselves. Many, many year's ago there was a large family of pure white- birds about the size of thrush; living in a huge forest. Now tins lannly ot birds were famous of their. mighty deeds of daring. Somehow it was always one of them'Kvho flow to the leadership of every new. daring adventure which offered. Thev became very proud, and considered themselves almost above the rest of the birds who occupied the same forest as they. JSonc ot.the other bird families could boast of feathers quito as purely white as those of the proud adventurers.. ' ■ v « ~ -, -i "For a long time nothing, outstandingly' daring had been achieved, and the bird kingdom was jogging along in a very slow, montonous fashioii. They still tried to be first for the worm, they still built nests and laid beautiful eggs and hatched out lovely little chicks, but it was too much .the same; they all longed for something eventful to happen. ~ ■ . . iV , "Then one clay there was a stirring and excited chirruping from the tribe of white birds. , " 'Something's afoot,' murmured the other birds as they sat up and began to take notice. 'ls something really exciting going to happen at last? they asked each other. The air became charged with excitement, the chattering became more and more feverish, until at last a deputy flew to the white birds' quarters and begged to-be told the cause of the excitement. T*«y were simplv staggered over the news—surely the white birds would never attempt such a foolhardy action—but, yes, they were assured that such was the case, they were to pay a visit to the moon that very night. When better? The moon was' due to be'full and round and beaming that evening. "Away flew the deputy, and the news spread like wildfire. Oh, dear, the excitement then. Of course, there was no sleep for any bird that night. They prepared a marvellous feast of titbits, gathered from far and wide. Long, fat, juicy worms, good grey slugs, hofny-backed snails, ants, hairy caterpillars, beetles, spiders, besides choice fruits which took quite six birds to struggle along with. When everything was in' readiness they ate till everything was gone, then the leader of the white birds delivered a lengthy speech telling of many past adventures, and concluding by saying that this was bv far the-most dangenous feat they had even dared try to accomplish. With 'the finish of ; his speech the birds all flapped their wings and chirped their appreciation. Then awav flew all the white birds in one body, adorned in cloaks of silky darkness. Up, up they soared until the watching kingdom could no longer sec them. .. "The white birds flew up, np, up into the stars, winking and blinking nt them like glow-worms in a cavern. Still higher they flew, for many hours, until, nearly dropping with fatigue, they reached the moon. They landed in a cloud of silky darkness upon a vast, yellow continent. Everything was vellow, the trees, the earth, the water—everything! When they were sufficiently rested thev started on the long downward journey. They landed on earth again in their own forest just-before dawn, and. there was the kingdom waiting breathlessly for their return. They related their adventures proudly, and whilst they were still talking the light began to filter out from behind the hills. . . ' "All at once the birds who were listening sent up a peculiar cry and pointed their wings at the -white birds who gazed down at themselves in alarm. Instead of beholding snowy white feathers their eyes- beheld feathers of gleaming black, while their bills, legs, and feet were a gorgeous yellow. What had happened? They had been so busy relating their adventures they had forgotten to throw off their cloaks of silky blackness, and now the light had made them permanent, but the yellow bills, legs, and feet? Why, that wa3 yellow dust from the moon!" . )