1878 – The Swallow and the Thrush

“The Swallow and the Thrush – 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 short anecdote accompanying the illustration, reads as follows: “The Swallow did not how to build a nest, and asked the Thrush to show her. The Thrush tried to do so; but to everything that she said the Swallow answered, ‘Oh yes, I know,’ ‘To be sure,’ ‘Of course,’ and so on. At last the Thrush said, ‘Well, you seem to know all about it, quite as well as I do, so I will need not stay any longer. Good day.’ And away she flew. But they had only built half round the nest, and the poor Swallow could not make out how to do the other side. So she stuck the side she did not know how to build against a wall, and pretended to be very content; but the other birds often make little jokes upon the bird with half a nest.”

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