MY NEIGHBOUR’S BIRD STORIES 77 
deep nest in a holly bush, and be the parent of five 
beautiful gem-like blue eggs spotted with black. 
The only other bird he had ever possessed was a 
jackdaw, a charming fellow, full of fun, with uncut 
wings, so that he was free to go and come at will; 
but he was a home-loving bird, very affectionate, 
though loving mischief too, and never happier than 
when his indulgent master allowed him to use his 
head as a perch. 
One day, when Mr. Redburn was busy in his 
study, his little daughter, aged seven, came crying 
to him to complain that Jack was plaguing her so! 
_He wanted to pull the buttons off her shoes, and 
because she wouldn’t let him he pecked her ankles, 
and it hurt her so, and made her cry. He gave her 
his stick, and told her, with a laugh, to give Jack 
a good smart rap on the head with it, and that 
would make him behave himself. He never for a 
moment imagined that such a clever, quick bird as 
Jack would allow himself to be struck by a little 
girl with a long walking-stick; nevertheless this 
incredible thing happened, and the stick actually 
came down on Jack’s head, and the child screamed, 
and, running to her, he found her crying, and Jack 
lying to all appearance dead on the floor! ‘They 
took him up tenderly and examined him, and said 
he was really and truly dead, and then tenderly, 
sorrowfully, put him down again. All at once, to 
their astonishment and delight, he opened his 
mischievous little grey eyes and looked at his 
friends standing over him. ‘Then he got up on his 
