THE PROUD PEACOCK

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 62, 4 June 1927, Page 27 (Supplement)

THE PROUD PEACOCK

When Mr. Peacock came to the big farm to live he was greatly disappointed. He did not like at all the barnyard fowl or Mr. Dog or any of the animals. The only time he was happy was when he was on the lawn in front of the big house with his tail spread and thought he was being admired. One day he decided that the reason the barnyard folk did not seem t» admire him was because they were jealous of his beauty. “Poor things.” he said to himself. ”1 really should pity instead of disliking those uglyI'P in a tree by the stone wall sat Tommy Blue Jay. who is handsome himself and thinks no one else quite so fine. He dearly loves to “scrap” with his neighbours and does not be • r a very good name with his kind. Tommy Blue Jay cannot sing at all. but he tries to drown the sweet songs of other birds with his harsh screams and shrieks. This day he spied Mr. Peacock in the barnyard. “Hello.” said Tommy. “How long have you been here? Never saw you before.” Mr. Peacock glanced up and then he spread his beautiful tail and walked nearer to the stone wall. For once Tommy Blue Jay was speechless. He had never seen anything so handsome ns Mr. Peacock’s plumage. Tommy looked him all over from the top of his handsome head to his feet—and then Tommy Blue Jav found his tongue. Those l'eet were not handsome. Instead they were very ugly. “Where did you get the feet?” screamed Tommy; and without waiting for a reply, he said: "I guess you need big feet to carry about that long tail. Mr, but they are ugly!” Now. Mr. Peacock is ashamed of those big feet. He gave an angry, harsh cry and flew to the top of the wall. “Ah!” screamed Tommy, seeing that he had made Mr. Peacock angry. “1 wonder if your voice is as beautiful as your feet? Let me hear you sing.” 'That is another thing about which Mr. Peacock feels unhappy. His voice, it is a most unpleasant thing to hear; he cannot sing at all. I Tommy Blue Jay was happy now He had made someone angry, and, besides, this handsome bird had two bad points. Tommy began, to scream and Mr. Peacock began to cry out, partly in alarm and partly in anger, until all the barnyard fowl came hurrying to find out what was the trouble. Tommy Blue Jay grew tired after i while and flew away, and Mr. Peacock, seeing he had a crowd around him, spread his tail again to be admired. “Mr. Peacock,” said old Madam Duck, who wasn’t afraid of anyone in the barnyard, “you are a very handsome bird. But remember this: Handsome is that handsome does! As far as I can find out, you do nothing but spread your plumage to be admired. “I thought you might be able to sing, but I know now you have no voice. If you are to live here you hau better make friends with us barnyard folk and not strut about as if the earth was hardly good enough for you to step upon. “We are all doing something to pay the farmer for keeping us, and if your work is only to add beauty to the lawn by spreading your beautiful feathers, just remember we are the ones that help to pay for your keep and don't hold your he id so high.” Poor Mr. Peacock! His pride was quite crushed. Tommy Blue Jay had made fun of his feet and voice, and now Madam Duck had told him his beauty meant very little unless he could do something worth while. He had been told his real worth, and now he decided he had better be on friendly terms with the barnyard fowl, so he began to walk around the yard with them, picking up corn as if he had never felt himself above them. GIVING Lady Rose, Jady rose, in your fragrant furbelows. You give the wind sweet messages, whichever way it blows; You send them to the stranger, you send them to your friend. From out your store of treasure sweet gifts to all you send. —Sent in by Phyllis Haines. r:- -i- -i- -i- h-

PETE ! Little Pete lives far away, i In a land they call Malay, i There’s a lot that Peter knows—- | Pete has seen how rubber grows, j In the jungle he has been, { And a snake or two has seen. ! Do you know, too, many a time. He has watched the monkeys climb j On most strange, gigantic trees, j And he’s seen such sights as those: j Black men wildly in the night ; Dancing to a torch's light. Leaping high, and chanting songs, j Beating drums and banging gongs. | But the sun is fierce and strong, ; So ho cannot stay for long. ' Ho will live across the sea. Till he’s seven or eight like i. e. i Then he’ll be too old to stay, i And he’ll have to come away. A What a lot he’ll have to say.