FARM-YARD TALES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 24 October 1941, Page 3

FARM-YARD TALES

GREY OWL SPEAKS CHAPTER 15 (Original) ‘‘Ob, dear.” Roy sighed. “Where have those puppies got to?” The puppies he meant were, of l course, Mike and Tyke. The other animals were grouped about the barn, waiting for them. "Goodness knows,” Billy frowned. "If they’re away hunting and Master: catches them, I don’t know what will! happen to them.” "It is very foolish of them,” Bluebell j remarked as she rubbed her neck against ‘he fence. "I suppose they must get into mischief sometimes,” Molly said peaceably. “Here they are,” Peter exclaimed, as he saw two black forms scampering ; through the trees. “Where have you been?” Billy asked severely. “Ou‘. hunting,” Tyke answered j breathlessly. "A dog ” “A dog took us to a lovely burrow on ■ the side of a hill,” Mike went on. "It, was simply lovely. We didn’t catch anything, though.” "You were lucky that Master didn't! catch you,” Black Feathers snapped. j "I suppose T was,” Mike admitted. j “We had a good lime, anyway,” Tyke: said cheerfully, as though that was all; that mattered. "Who will be the speaker to-night?” someone inquired from the barn. Amazed, everyone looked around. Suddenly something flew from the! darkness and settled in their midst. “My name is Grey Owl,” he introduced himself. Having welcomed him, Roy thought for a few moments. “Perhaps you would tell us some of your adventures?” he asked. “We’ve all told ours.” “Very well,” Grey Owl answered, and perching beside Jock, he began. "One night, when I was quite young, I thought I would go exploring—l lived in a wood not far from a house —so I started off, now and then making the wood echo with my weird hoots. It wasn’t a moon-light night, and the trees were full of shadows. The house was in darkness when I reached it, so I i knew that all the humans were in bed and probably asleep. “Sitting on a tree, I stared around. By the house I saw something move. It was high up as though suspended by wires, and I could see it cleaning its feathers. “ ‘That’s funny,’ I thought, ‘I think I’ll have a closer look.’ “Of course, I knew that I really shouldn’t, for it wasn’t anything to do with me, but it simply invited me to inspect it closer. “Cautiously I flew nearer. “ ‘Perhaps it is a canary,’ I mused. ‘lt j would be good to eat if it is.’ "Suddenly I made up my mind. "I would attack it. “Silently I rushed on, and with one j loud hoot I flew straight at the figure, j But I was due for a bad shock. Ii struck something which flung me back. ! Worst of all, something in the cage j shrieked: “ ‘Help! Murder! Thieves!’ and ended ; with, ‘l’m completely drowned!’ "I was so frightened that I flew off j as fast as my wings would carry me. “Reaching my home in the old oaktree, I paused. "I remembered that my mother had told me something about big birds called ‘parrots.’ Would that bird have bem one? It made a lot of noise, but my mother had said how noisy they were, and how it had terrified her the first time she had heard one. “I sat on a branch the whole night,! thinking it over. At last I came to: the conclusion that it must have been J a parrot, and I went to sleep at dawn, j quite satisfied,” Grey Owl concluded. "It must have been rather weird,” Roy mused. “Have you had any more adventures?” he added. “Yes,” Grey Owl answered, and continued. "One evening, as I was on my way to hunt for some birds’ eggs or mice for my tea, I heard some humans walking along the path which ran beneath m home. They were a little way off! and I thought I would surprise them. "When they were a little nearer, 1 1 saw that they were two ladies. I gave one little hoot and noticed that they j walked faster. "1 chuckled. "Taking a deep breath, I gave a tre- j mendous hoot. "’That will surprise them,’ I thought a trifle guiltily. “ ‘lf they knew it was only little me,’ I laughed, as I listened to their retreating footsteps. ‘lt’s amazing what a little hoot will do.’ "It was good fun for me, but certainly not for them,” Grey Owl ended. “Very interesting,” Mike and Tyke said together. “You must have an exciting life, flying about at night,” Roy commented. “Yes,” Grey Owl answered. "But one thing I have learnt is to keep my eyes open, for in this way 1 think I hear more too. and that is how ail owls become wise.” "That is very good advice, too,” Roy said. "In fact, I think we should all take it,” and all the ‘Farm-yard Animals’ agreed. THE END. —Fay Baynes (13 years) Tahunanui. LI think we should all thank Fay for her series of "Farmyard Tales.” This is the last of the series, which she hopes to make into a book, and I am sure we all hope she will write some stories for the Page.—Alice.]