528 THE COMMON CUCKOO. 



Startled, the sparrows cease their merry play, 



And homeward fly. 

 ' What's in our nest?' with fluttering dismay 



They shrilly cry, 

 When the strange tiling that in their dwelling lay 



They chanced to spy. 



A startling answer, echoing loud and clear 



The woodland through — 

 Like mocking laughter— terrified, they hear — 



' Cuckoo ! cuckoo !' 

 And trembling, cry out, ' Oh, dear ! oh, dear ! 



What shall we do?' 



II. 



'It's a clumsy production,' the male bird said. 

 ' It cumbers om nest, and its mother has fled. 

 We must cast from our home this embryo cuckoo ; 

 With birds of that feather we've nothing to do.' 



But the female bird said, with a tear in her eye, 

 ' If we cast it adrift it will certainly die. 

 Let us rear it along with our own little brood — 

 By their worthy example it may become good. 



If clumsy 'tis big, and when reared 'twill be strong. 

 It may come in quite handy for bringing along 

 Large-sized worms which we are too small to convey, 

 And thus our attention and nurture repay.' 



Mr Sparrow replied, with a sceptical sneer, 

 ' You argue with very great reason, my dear. 

 But attempts are not often successful, I fear, 

 To make a silk purse of a clumsy sow's ear.' 



With his cautious remarks he was fated to find, 

 He produced no effect on his better-half's mind ; 

 And — as wise wedded birds deem it prudent to do — 

 Let her have her own way. So they reared the cuckoo. 



in. 



There's weeping and there's wailing in that nest upon the tree; 

 There's an uncongenial family there who never can agree ; 

 And the cause of all the trouble and the noise and how-d'ye-do 

 Is that wretched interloper — that alien cuckoo. 



When the parent birds requested him to bring a worm supply, 

 He put his claw upon his beak and winked the other eye, 

 And proceeded very calmly to select the very best 

 Of the worms that were provided for the sparrows of the nest. 



His appetite was fearful, and it never seemed appeased ; 



He grew so very hulking all the family were squeezed ; 



And because he found the space too small to turn with ease about, 



He deliberately commenced to chuck the other fledglings out. 



The horror-stricken parents, seeing thus their offspring killed, 

 Were with a raging fury, born of deep resentment, filled. 

 They threatened to remove the heartless alien from their nest ; 

 But the alien only smiled and said, ' Come on, then ! try your best !' 



