I’m sorry that the next Nutricia Baby Book was delayed with a week. I had some stuff to sort out, and didn’t get around to scanning it. But, here it is at last. So, without further ado, let’s plunge once again into the dark and murky worlds of educational and moralistic children’s fodder with oh so cute drawings, for here is…
“The Singing Contest”
“Father Lark was sitting on a branch, together with his little son. Singing sounded from all sides. ‘Listen how the other birds are practising for the singing contest’, Father said to Tommy, ‘Why don’t you do your best as well!’ ‘But I don’t like to sing’, Tommy sighed. His father got angry and yelled, ‘You should be ashamed, talking like that !'”
“‘You have never sung one correct note!’ Tommy bowed his little head in shame. ‘Come on, let’s try again,’ his father said, a little more friendly this time.
“Tommy opened his little beak and an ugly, high-pitched screech sounded. ‘Stop it ! Stop it !’, Mister Lark exclaimled. ‘No, that won’t do at all’, he continued, ‘I’d better have you follow singing lessons with Master Owl. He can’t sing himself, but he can teach like no other. Come along !'”
“‘I can’t promise I can teach your son to sing in only one week, but if he tries very hard, I’m willing to give it a try.’, the owl said.”
“Tommy hated singing lessons. From early in the morning till late at night he practised together with seven other birds. On the day befor the contest they would sing their song, that Master Owl had taught them. When it was Tommy’s turn, he had to stop in the middle of his song. ‘You’ll never learn’, the owl growled. ‘Just go home !'”
“Tommy flew away with tears in his eyes, and the owl started to feel sorry for him. He flew to Gnome Queen and told her everything. The Queen thought long and hard and said, ‘I think I know a way to make him learn how to sing’.”
“Tommy didn’t dare to go home and just flew around in the forest. Suddenly he heard somebody crying.”
“It was a very small gnome boy. ‘Why are you crying ?’, Tommy asked. ‘My trumpet doesn’t work anymore’, the gnome weeped, ‘Would you mind trying ? Maybe you can blow harder. It’s up there in the tree’. Tommy flew to the tree, grabbed the trumpet and blew as hard as he could. But it didn’t make a sound.”
“The boy started crying again. ‘Why don’t you just sing a song for me’, he begged, ‘Please, I do love music so…'”
“Tommy sighed. He took a deep breath and… much to his surprise a beautiful song sounded throughout the forest. The Gnome Queen and Master Owl smiled as they heard Tommy’s singing. ‘If he sings like that tomorrow, there’s no doubt he’ll win the contest’, the Queen said. And to the delight of hs parents, Tommy won the first prize !”
This is a delightful story. I do find that birds do tend to have the prettiest songs. It is always a joy to sit back in the morning and listen to them chirpping in the air. This relaxes me quite a bit.
I am glad at the end of the story that the bird finally gave in and sang a pretty song.
Please post more like this !