THE THRUSH LEARNED TO FLY

Evening Star, Issue 23379, 23 September 1939, Page 6

THE THRUSH LEARNED TO FLY

A GOOD-NIGHT TALE When the infant school children returned to their class room after the holiday they missed a very delightful friend who had spent the previous three weeks with them. This was a young thrush, which was found by some" of the children on their way to school one May morning. It had fallen out of its nest and was fluttering helplessly on the grmind. “ Let’s take it to teacher!” was their first thought. So teacher had a now charge. The fledgling was put into a basket and covered with a small woollen scarf until a more suitable home was forthcoming. The children brought snails and worms and fed the young bird every 1 morning and afternoon as carefully as its own parents would have 1 done. Before long the thrush had a name— Josey—and a cage. But their teacher

told the children that to keep Josey in a cage would not be kind. As soon as it was able to fend for itself the bird must be freed. Josey was not kept in the cage more than was necessary. As the little wings grew stronger and the half-formed feathers expanded ho was allowed to fly about the class room. Ho would perch on the desks, and even sleep there. When the teacher called he would come and rest on her shoulder. At night ehe took him home with her, and at the week-ends Josey had more freedom, for he was taken to an orchard and allowed to fiy among the trees. He was very ready to return to his teacher and reenter the cage when she called him. At -last it was decided that Josey could fend for himself, so he was released for the last time. The thrush hardly understood that the cage was no longer to he his homo and that his schooldays wove over. Josey returned to the school time and again, but as no attempt was made to catch him he at last flew to live the free life for which lie had been so carefully prepared. A V