1873 – The Robber Magpie

“The Robber Magpie – by Harrison Weir” is a full page book plate image, taken from the “Chatterbox Album of Animals”, published by W.W.Gardner, circa 1878. The drawing however, dates from 1873. The short anecdote accompanying the illustration, takes the form of a poem, and reads as follows:  “An aged miser had a hoard, Of guineas hid beneath a board; One golden piece poor Maggie stole, Then ran to hide it in a hole. ‘Oh, thieving bird!’ the miser said, ‘For this offense I’ll break thy head!’. ‘But think,’ replied the bird, ‘if I, For hiding one coin ought to die, You will deserve to share my fate, For having hidden sums so great.’ A fault in others men will blame, When they have often done the same.”

Prints currently available in A4, A3 and A2 sizing options.