OUR STORY

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 6, Issue 72, 14 May 1943, Page 6

OUR STORY

WHERE PEOPLE ARE KIND TC ANIMALS In the centre of Stockholm, is j 'Roundabout' Avhcre all the traffic j from different streets, lias' to go circling round in one direction before finding its onward way. In the middle of this circle is an ornamental pond and fountain; and in this pond, in the midst of all the bustle and traffic of the city, a wild, duck made its nest ! A wild duck of all the shy creatures ! Well, this duck hatched out a brood of small fluffy ducklings, and after a time considered that this little pond was. not a big enough World for them to live in, so the other day she left the pond, and followed by her string of youngsters, she proceeded 4 to walk straight across the roadway in the face of all j the traffic of people., motor cars and lorries. She was right. Everybody pulled up as though a red lamp or a policeman had stopped them. It was a marvellous sight! All the traffic suddenly brought, to a standstill —held up by ducklings.. The people on foot —even the rowdiest boys—all stopped and smiled and let the little family pass unfrightened and unmolested. So down the street they went for a long distance. till they crossed another busy thoroughfare where again the traffic stopped to let them pass; and thus the brave okl mother led. her brood safely down to the harbour —thanks to the sympathy of the kindly folk in the Swedish streets. Wise Sheep > I saw some children go up to some sheep and, pat them. You don't often see that in New Zealand. > Our sheep are. generally a little - bit suspicious of you and jerk themselves away if you come too close. L But these sheep knew that they • were in Sweden where people are kind to annuals —so they had no fear and allowed, young people, to f-ni" an _] stroke them if they wanted to. Sensible Horses The horses in Sweden are a quaint

l(vt. They all seem to be twins, exactly like each other. Great big, strong, fat, sort of khaki colour, with very kindly eyes. They don't wear blinkers in harness, so they can see. all that is going on around them, and they take an 'interest in it. Sometimes Avh,cn thev have to stand for sortie time outside a house, master straps their two front legs together and leaves, them. But that is generally only fof young horses, older ones know their business and they stand still, for hours if necessary, until master tells them to go on. Standing on the pavement Avith my back to one of these horses, I felt someone trying to pick ni3 r pocket. I turned quickly and found it Avas the. horse sniffing at my pocket hoping to find an apple or a bit of sugar—the dear boy. It showed that he Avas accustomed to kindness from his master —and his master Avas a Swede. Swedish drivers don't use. Avlvips.