The Faithless Parrot | Page 2

Fido from being deserted became despised, and was indeed thinking about hanging himself on the meat-hook in the kitchen.
[Illustration: TITTUMS WALKING OUT WITH THE PARROT.]
[Illustration: THE PARROT COURTING THE JACKDAW.]
One evening, just after dark, as he was roaming about, feeling very sad, and thinking that, perhaps, it would be better to run away than to use the meat-hook, he all at once found himself in the next garden, and while he was looking round him, he heard voices.
"Lovely Mrs. Daw," said one of the voices which he seemed to recognise, "I am a traveller--I speak five languages--I have a palace made of golden bars, within which is a perch fit for a king,--I have a pension of bread and milk and nuts; all of which I will share with you. To-morrow we will fly for an excursion on to the great oak-tree in Farmer Hodges' field."
"Dear me!" thought Fido, "this must be Mr. Parrot." And, sure enough, so it was,--Mr. Parrot, indeed, and making the warmest of love to old Mrs. Daw, the widow of Miser Jack Daw, who, during a long life, and by means of stealing and saving, had laid by a large fortune, which he had left Mrs. Daw to enjoy.
The old widow seemed very much pleased at the warmth of Mr. Paul's love, and no doubt thought that every word he said was true; leering round at him with her old eyes, and wishing that she had put on a clean muslin cap, as it might have made her look even younger than she thought she did.
As for Fido, he almost jumped for joy; he ran home as soon as ever he could.
"Oh, Tittums!" said he, heedless of her scornful looks, "what do you think I have found out? There is that rascal of a Paul Parrot, who pretends so much love for you, courting Widow Daw at this very moment; and if you come at once you may see it with your own eyes."
"Nonsense!" replied Tittums: "I do not believe it."
"Well," said the Dog, "to convince you, if you will only come to the other side of the wall you shall see that what I have said is quite true."
But Pussy, trusting in the honour of Mr. Paul, would not believe a word, and it was only after a great deal of persuasion that she was induced to jump over the wall and listen.
[Illustration: EAVES-DROPPERS.]
Mr. Paul and Mrs. Daw were still courting, and the Parrot was trying, by coaxing the old lady, to find out how much she was worth, and where all her treasures were hid. Indeed Mrs. Daw was just on the point of telling him her secret, when Tittums, unable to contain herself, rushed at Mr. Paul and scratched his face.
"Oh, you bad Parrot!" she said; "did you not promise to marry me, and take me to your golden palace?"
"Golden palace!" screamed Mrs. Daw: "why, you wicked bird, that's what you promised me. Stay, ma'am, what did he say besides?--did he promise you any bread and milk, or any Barcelona nuts?"
"Yes, he did--he did--he did," continued the Cat, scratching and clawing the false, faithless Parrot as she spoke.
"Well," said Pussy, now fairly exhausted, "I hope you are satisfied: if ever you come near our house again, I'll scratch out every feather you have on your back;" and so she left him, taking Fido with her, who, in spite of his general good nature and the Parrot's rage, could not resist giving him two or three sharp bites.
[Illustration: THE PARROT EXPOSED.]
As soon as Mrs. Daw was left alone with Paul, she began to upbraid him with his falseness,--"You vulgar, stuck-up, ugly, awkward deceiver! you have neither honesty enough to live by, nor wings enough to fly with." Whereupon she jumped at him and gave him such a plucking as spoilt his good looks.
Never after this was the Parrot able to hold up his head. Every one scorned him; even his golden palace turned out to be a brass cage; and for his misdeeds a chain was fastened round his leg. He was confined to a wooden perch, which, out of pure spite, he was always pecking.
Old Widow Daw kept her secret, and remained unmarried.
Tittums could not help admiring the constancy of Fido; and when in the spring he had grown bigger, and was promoted to a sweet red and black collar, Pussy found that she loved him very much indeed, and made up her mind never more to forsake him.
[Illustration: THE PARROT GETTING A GOOD PICKING]
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