THE GUARDIAN SWAN

Evening Star, Issue 21316, 21 January 1933, Page 5

THE GUARDIAN SWAN

The father swan is careful of his family; and, when his lady is sitting on her nest among the reeds, it is hardly safe to go near the spot, as he thinks it his duty to keep guard and to drive away all intruders. At Dundrum, near Dublin, one fine day, a gentleman with one or two friends and some little children started for a ramble through a fine park. They had gone through a five-barred gate, when they heard a great splashing and fuss on a stream, which lay at their right, below a steep bank. Suddenly one of the party cried: “A swan! Pick up a child each or you; run back and get through the gate! No sooner said than done. The magnificent bird, with his wings spread like the sails of a ship, his breast ruffled, and every feather bristling with rage, was rushing at them to ask who dared venture so near his nursery. One blow from his mighty wing would snap a, man’s arm. They all managed to get safely through the gate, and then sat down and laughed heartily. After resting, they tried the passage again, treading on tiptoe, making not the least sound, not even whispering; hut Mr Swan was not to be cheated. Out he dashed, and put them to flight as before. They next tried to sneak round to the left, after leaving the gate, with the same result. This time tiio father swan cut off their retreat to the gate, so that their only escape was to scramble through some iron fencing. After this they all felt that the royal bird would not allow anybody to pass through what ho plainly considered to be his own kingdom, and so they returned by the way they had come.