174 BEAUTIFUL BIRDS 
But now is it not very strange that any bird 
should have a tail like that—a tail that is shaped like 
Apollo’s lyre? Well, I will tell you how it happened, 
for it is one of those things that requires an explana- 
tion—and is lucky. Once the great god Apollo (who 
is the god of music and song) was walking in Aus- 
tralia and playing upon his lyre. Now, I must tell 
you, at that time—it was a very long time ago—the 
Lyre-bird had not a tail like it has now, but quite an 
ordinary one; so, as it is only its tail that is exira- 
ordinary, it was quite an ordinary bird. But although 
it was ordinary in appearance, it was extremely 
musical, as it is now—I must tell you that—and also 
a wonderful imitator of every sound that can be 
made. The Lyre-bird can imitate all the different 
notes of other birds, as well as the barking of dogs, 
the mewing of cats, and the conversation of people. 
So, when it heard Apollo playing so sweetly on 
his lyre, it was quite enraptured, and began to imitate 
it so cleverly that you would have thought there were 
two Apollos playing on two lyres. All the other 
birds and creatures were delighted at this—for, of 
course, two good things are better than only one—but, 
for some reason or other which I cannot quite explain, 
Apollo was not nearly so pleased. In fact, he became 
angry, and so angry that he threw his lyre at the poor 
bird who had so appreciated his music, and the lyre 
