The Birds .sx A short story by Barbara Comyns .sx Little Hal was like a boy made of butter- yellow complexion and yellow hair .sx After his mother's death , his thin little face contorted into sudden grimaces .sx His younger brother Charlie held up his chubby arms with love towards Cousin Nelly , who kept house for their father now he no longer had a wife ; but Hal would sit behind the shed door , grimacing under his large straw hat , his long yellow fingers twisting the tags at the back of his boots .sx 'That boy's highly strung,' Nelly would say to his father .sx 'He don't seem natural .sx Why don't you get him a pet , Bert- a kitten or a dog ?sx ' 'He'll be all right when he goes to school,' Bert would answer , and he would give the robust Charlie a poke with his earth-grimed forefinger , which caused the little boy to roll about with laughter , then disappear under the green serge tablecloth until Bert prodded him again and there would be more laughter .sx 'There's a boy for you,' Bert would proclaim with pride , and Hal's unnatural behaviour would be forgotten .sx Hal was not all right when he went to school .sx He was afraid of the other children and was sick in the Plasticine box on the first day .sx He refused to speak a word , and kept leaving his desk to stand by the door and make faces .sx The following day he behaved in the same way , except that he wasn't sick .sx As he stood by the door , a sinister wet patch appeared round his feet and the children shouted , 'Please , teacher , that there Hal has wet himself .sx ' The teacher , very red in the face , gave Hal a smack on the hand with a ruler , and put some of the sawdust that the chalks had been packed in on the wet patch .sx Hal did not cry , but the rims of his eyes became red as though he had , and he sat quite still for the rest of the morning just watching the door .sx When Nelly came to fetch him home the teacher said , 'That Hal of yours lives in a world of his own .sx He doesn't seem to be all there .sx ' Nelly looked rather put out and replied that he was quite all right , only the poor little chap was highly strung .sx 'His dad's going to get him a pet .sx He'll be all right then , you'll see .sx ' When Bert came home for his dinner she said , 'What about that little cat or dog you were going to bring home for Hal , to give him an interest in things .sx The boy wet himself at school today .sx It don't seem natural at his age .sx ' Hal's eyes became red rimmed again , but he did not speak .sx He seldom did .sx His father said , 'Well , I've got him a little bird , but I must buy a cage first .sx You'd like a nice green bird , wouldn't you , Hal ?sx ' The boy just nodded his head , but Charlie said , 'Charlie wants a green bird too .sx Will it lay green eggs ?sx ' and Nelly picked him up and , hugging him , said he was a caution .sx The next day , when Hal returned from school , there was the bird in a wooden cage with bars in front .sx His father showed him how the cage should be cleaned and the seed and water containers filled ; and he told him that the bird could be taught to talk 'if you speak to it nice and quiet .sx ' Hal put the cage on the table and gazed at the bird , fascinated .sx He put his face close and whispered something very softly , then put his ear close , hoping for a reply .sx At that moment , Charlie came running up and put his fingers between the bars , shouting ~'Hallo , green bird,' and the terrified bird fluttered into a corner of its cage .sx Hal turned to his brother and slapped his laughing , pink face .sx Nelly jumped to her feet , yelling 'You've no call to do that .sx ' Hal , afraid that his new treasure would be taken away from him , picked up the cage and dashed from the house to the garden shed , where he spent the afternoon softly talking to the bird and watching it .sx He became devoted to the bird .sx He was allowed to keep it in his bedroom under the eaves , where it was safe from Charlie .sx Usually , when he came home from school , he would free the bird from its cage , and it would fly around the room , picking up little things with its beak and sometimes settling on Hal's head or hand .sx He talked to it and he said it talked to him , but no one knew if this were true because it flew back to the safety of its cage as soon as anyone else entered the room .sx The teacher said Hal was doing better at school- not that he learnt anything , exactly , but he did sit still and behave better , and sometimes drew birds in his copy-book .sx Perhaps he would get around to letters later , she added .sx Then , one afternoon , a fearful thing happened .sx He was up in that little room of his , with the bird sitting on his shoulder .sx He was talking to it very quietly , and perhaps the bird was talking back- no one knew for sure .sx Outside the door , Charlie was listening hard because he wanted to hear the bird talk too .sx Suddenly he burst the door open and cried , 'I heard it , I did .sx ' The bird left Hal's shoulder and , afraid , flew across the room , searching for its cage .sx Not knowing about reflections , it first flew straight into the old brown-framed mirror on Hal's chest-of-drawers and then , in panic , out of the open window and away .sx Hal knew at once that his bird had gone and would never come back .sx It was after the bird's disappearance that Hal had his first sort of fit .sx He never mentioned the bird again .sx Perhaps he had even forgotten all about it , but as he almost never spoke now no one really knew what he was thinking about .sx He had taken to sitting behind the shed door again , and sometimes he could be heard talking to himself .sx It was in September that Bert brought home the two cockerels , one white , one black .sx They were leggy young birds , just growing their wing feathers .sx The father said to his boys , 'There's a bird apiece for you .sx I want you to fatten them up , and when they are fit for eating we'll have a great party and Nelly will become your mother .sx Now see which of you can make his bird grow the biggest .sx ' Charlie chose the white bird and Hal had to have the black .sx It was slightly on the small side , but the difference in size soon changed and Hal's bird grew and grew .sx On the way home from school he gathered corn from the sides of the fields and stuffed it in his pockets , and as soon as he came in by the gate the cockerel used to run to meet him .sx Nelly said , 'Well , Hal , I must say your cock is growing into a fine bird .sx Little Charlie's can't hold a candle to it .sx ' Hal gave one of his rare smiles and looked at his bird with pride .sx It certainly was almost twice the size of Charlie's .sx The cockerels grew very large , and early in December Bert said , 'Nelly , those birds are ready .sx We must see about the banns .sx ' When Hal heard his father say this he knew that one day when he came home from school his cockerel would not be there to meet him .sx It would have to be sacrificed if there was to be a party and Nelly was to become his mother .sx He could imagine everyone's surprise when Nelly began to change .sx He wondered if she would be wearing mama's blue dress with the lace on the collar .sx Perhaps , as it was winter , it would be the brown one trimmed with braid , in patterns he thought resembled snail shells .sx The days passed and still the glossy black cock waited by the garden gate for Hal's return from school .sx Some days he felt he could not bear it any longer , and he would plan to ask his father to cancel the party so that his bird would be saved ; but this would mean that Nelly would not turn into his mother , and that would be terrible .sx The black cock would have to die .sx He almost wished it would peck him so that he need not love it so much .sx Charlie had given up feeding his because it had pecked him right across the nose .sx Nelly had thrown a stone at it and shouted , 'Your days are numbered , you bad old bird .sx ' Then , one afternoon when Hal came home , there was no cock waiting by the gate , and the knob on the kitchen door had blood and feathers stuck to it .sx He went to the back of the shed and was sick .sx When he saw Nelly he asked her when it was she was going to turn into his mama .sx 'Why , fancy you remembering that , you clever boy !sx In two days I will be your mama and cousin too .sx ' Hal sat on his stool by the fire and tried to work this out in his mind .sx Later , he asked , ~'Will you have two heads ?sx ' and Nelly said , 'Bless the boy .sx Whatever is he thinking about now ?sx ' The day of the wedding came .sx Hal and Charlie had new blue shirts and new belts with buckles to fasten them , shaped like snakes .sx Nelly had a green velvet dress and a hat with pansies on it .sx When Hal asked her why she wasn't wearing his mother's brown dress , she replied , 'Oh , that old thing !sx Why the moths had it months ago .sx ' The cottage became filled with people , and there was a lot of noisy talk and laughter .sx Then it was time for the party , and they all sat down to devour Hal's and Charlie's birds .sx When Hal could bring himself to look at the steaming brown carcasses he could see how much larger his bird was than his brother's , and although he felt a great sadness there was a feeling of pride as well .sx A man with a large waxed moustache and a mop of curly damp hair , whom Hal thought might be his uncle Fred , said , 'That's a fine bird you're carving , Bert .sx ' Hal waited , breathless , to hear his father tell everyone that it was his bird that was so large , but Bert was too preoccupied with carving to answer .sx Sweat was pouring down his face , and he did not like to take his jacket off in company .sx Later , he turned to Hal and said , ~'You'd like a little of the breast and perhaps some stuffing , Hal ?sx ' and the boy replied that he would like to eat some of the smaller bird , please .sx He could not eat his own ; it was dreadful to see it there all cut about .sx Every now and then he'd look down the table at Nelly , who was sitting there looking flushed and very pretty , but not in the least like his mama .sx The cocks had been killed and were almost eaten now and the party had been going on a long time , but there was no sign of his mother's return .sx Perhaps there was some mistake .sx The last knife and fork had ceased to rattle against the plate , and the bottle of port had been opened .sx For a moment there was silence ; then Hal braced himself to ask , 'Dad , whose bird was the largest , Charlie's or mine ?sx ' Everyone turned towards him in surprise and , with half a smile on his face , he waited for them to know whose had been that splendid bird .sx Bert considered for a moment .sx Then , remembering that Hal had asked for a slice from the little bird , he answered , 'They were both real fine birds .sx I was proud to carve them .sx Yours was very tender but I think Charlie's was the largest .sx '