I've got no idea where this little anecdote fits in with the multitude of topics on this site, but this letter from Mr A Chubb of Haslemere gave me a giggle. (Lifted from my copy of The Week, which in turn has repeated it from the Daily Telegraph.) Joey, my grandmother's African grey parrot, lived through the Second World War in a basement in Barnes, southwest London. In later years, one of Joey's tricks was to imitate the sound of a cluster of falling bombs: a series of descending whistles. On hearing this, her Airedale (terrier) would dive under the table and stand there shaking, its tail between its legs. The parrot would then imitate a man's uproarious laugh.
I've got no idea where this little anecdote fits in with the multitude of topics on this site, but this letter from Mr A Chubb of Haslemere gave me a giggle. (Lifted from my copy of The Week, which in turn has repeated it from the Daily Telegraph.) Joey, my grandmother's African grey parrot, lived through the Second World War in a basement in Barnes, southwest London. In later years, one of Joey's tricks was to imitate the sound of a cluster of falling bombs: a series of descending whistles. On hearing this, her Airedale (terrier) would dive under the table and stand there shaking, its tail between its legs. The parrot would then imitate a man's uproarious laugh.
My grandmother told me that during the war her friend had a budgie that could talk. It had two phrases - 'Jocky's a pretty boy' and 'Hitler's a bastard.' Unfortunately, it got them the wrong way round and it became 'Hitler's a pretty boy,' and 'Jocky's a bastard.' Sadly, it seemed to prefer the second version. Birds, eh? Keith
My grandmother told me that during the war her friend had a budgie that could talk. It had two phrases - 'Jocky's a pretty boy' and 'Hitler's a bastard.' Unfortunately, it got them the wrong way round and it became 'Hitler's a pretty boy,' and 'Jocky's a bastard.' Sadly, it seemed to prefer the second version. Birds, eh? Keith
The film 'Green Cockatoo' (1937) John Mills, Newton and co, rare showings apparently, shown recently in NY 2005. The complete film is now on YouTube. Of a length that prevents me from watching it, I will have to guess at the involvement of the Parrot - did he grass the murderer up or was it him murder in Old London town!
