Charles H. Bennett

“ THE PARROT EXPOSED. As soon as Mrs. Daw was left alone with Paul, she began to upbraid him with his falseness,—“You vulgar, stuck-up, ugly, awkward deceiver! you have neither honesty enough to live by, nor wings enough to fly with.” Whereupon she jumped at him and gave him such a plucking as spoilt his good looks.
Never after this was the Parrot able to hold up his head. Every one scorned him; even his golden palace turned out to be a brass cage; and for his misdeeds a chain was fastened round his leg. He was confined to a wooden perch, which, out of pure spite, he was always pecking. ”

“ But Tittums would not answer, even with a single purr-r! and it was only upon her giving him a sly look out of the corner of her left eye that he guessed how much she did like him. However, made bold by even this small token of esteem, he came quietly up, and sat by her side; even going so far, at last, as to take her out for a short walk down the garden-path, where they looked through the railings at the people passing by.
“Well,” said Fido to himself, “I have no doubt but she will love me in time; all the more, as I have great hopes of growing bigger before the spring.” ”

“ Daw,” said one of the voices which he seemed to recognise, “I am a traveller—I speak five languages—I have a palace made of golden bars, within which is a perch fit for a king,—I have a pension of bread and milk and nuts; all of which I will share with you. To-morrow we will fly for an excursion on to the great oak-tree in Farmer Hodges’ field.”
THE PARROT COURTING THE JACKDAW. “Dear me!” thought Fido, “this must be Mr. Parrot.” And, sure enough, so it was,—Mr. Parrot, indeed, and making the warmest of love to old Mrs. ”