The Posh Bird

The posh bird only went to the best parks and gardens.

To keep herself in shape, she flew every day between London and the countryside. In London were the most adorable parks and in the countryside were her favoured gardens.

Often admired by other birds, they all seemed rather silly and so she kept herself to herself.

Large pigeons annoyed her most. They were always looking for food and dressed atrociously.

One morning, after a long flight from London, the posh bird was taking a shower at a water fountain in a garden when a bird flew down.

He had a curly moustache and carried a satchel, which he started unpacking to reveal artists’ brushes, a roll of paper and some paints.

‘What do you think you’re doing?’ she asked.

The artist bird looked at the posh bird and surveyed her fine plumage and wonderful face. ‘Would you mind if I painted you?’ he asked.

The posh bird laughed. ‘You can’t paint, you’re a bird!’

The artist bird ignored her and unrolled his paper, so she flew off.

After a while, curiosity got the better of the posh bird and so she quietly flew up to a tree to take a look at his so called ‘art’.

‘That’s beautiful,’ she thought.

‘All it needs now is a beautiful bird,’ he said without looking up.

The posh bird huffed. ‘If I allow you to paint me, will you let me keep the painting?’ she asked.

‘I will, so long as you smile for me and do not look at my work until I’m satisfied with it,’ he said.

‘I can do that,’ she said.

Every day for the next week, the artist bird painted the posh bird and the posh bird kept her promise. When evening came, they said farewell and flew away in different directions.

 Finally, the artist bird announced that he was satisfied with the painting.

‘Can I look at it now?’ she asked excitedly.

Wiping down his brushes, he nodded and so she flew over to him.

Beautiful as the painting was, in one of her eyes a tiny tear was about to fall onto a face that looked as if it had never smiled. In the background, a bird that looked just like the artist bird was flying away.

‘How do you like it?’ asked the artist bird.

‘How dare you?’ she exclaimed. ‘I’ve been smiling for a whole week and you’ve made me look sad.’

‘My dear, it was your smile that made you look sad,’ he said.

The posh bird was fuming! ‘I am not your dear and I can assure you that my smile is anything but sad.’

The artist bird packed up his things. ‘Well, you can take it or leave it but it must be kept here until tomorrow to dry properly, when I will return for your answer. You’re a very beautiful bird,’ he said before flying away.

The posh bird could only glare at him as he left.

Rather than fly back to London that evening, she decided to stay in the garden with the painting.

In the morning, as she stood at the water fountain, she looked at her reflection and saw how perfectly the artist bird had painted her. When she began to cry, a tear dropped into the water and her reflection disappeared.

A few moments later, the artist bird flew down and the posh bird went to meet him by the painting.

‘Well,’ he said, ‘will you take it or leave it?’

‘Let’s leave it,’ she said, and they flew off together.