OUR STORY

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 3, 11 September 1942, Page 6

OUR STORY

JAGKO AND MUFFIN Jacko and Muffin were two j,aekdaAVS who -were' found in a drain pipe when they were very, very small, and 130 cause Jacko had a damaged wing they came to live in a little home of their own where they were looked after by a kind. lady.. Jacko was given this name by mistake, because she was really a lady, and would have preferred to be called Betsy, or something like that. But Jacko it was-, so Jacko it had to be. Well, after a bit the two birds, who were devoted to each other, thought they Avould like to try to build a nest, so they were given lots and lots of twigs. You see Jacko couldn't lly very well yet, and so she was not able to hunt for building material like other birds. They were very particular about these twigs, and would not use them i until they had tested each in turn j to see if it were strong, knocking them 011 the ground, and throwing away any that broke. Thel were also given some moss, but before they put .it in the nest they carefully inspected it, spreading it out and drying it in the sun. After a time Muffin seemed to grow tired of the nest and decided to see Avhat was going on far away 1 beyond the garden and fields. And so he left the little home. But Jacko had to remain behind because her wing Avas still not strong enough to carry her. She must have thought a lot about MuJl'in. and Avondered what he Avas doing and Aviicro he had gone to. Then one day. about a year after, what do you think happened? Mulfin Hew in a I the Avijidow of the little borne and said lie had come back! Jacfoo was delighted to see him, and made a great no!>e because it Avas such a surprisi.. Soon after tin-- a . neighbour brought some d ever led Meddlings to the Jackdaw home, and Jacko and Muffin were given these- adopted children to look after. Th<>y were very excited. The fledglings were nut into a little bed of cotton -uool and blanket to keep them warm. Jacko watched this going on through a little hole in iJie Avail, and evidently didn't approve for, as coo a as she got the opportunity, she looked at the blanket with her s!nr;j eye. picked a! ii; wit.'i her beak, u d then threw it away, as much a:'; lo say, "We a\ ill bavo no coddling here." *md MuiTin brought ti;, !hn Het'gl :.s Aviih as much can;- as" if they had been Iheir own children, run! when the babies weue being fed

by their lady friend, Jac)ko "would watch with a cocked eye, looking down the little throats and pulling out anything she thought was too much for a baby. Humans, you see, sometimes overfeed baby birds because they cannot resist their open mouths, but Jacko did not intend to have her little charges spoiled by too much kindness. Jacko and Muffin Avere always very happy in their orchard home, and you will be glad to hoar that Muffin never flew away from Jacko again.