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| Princess Morowski and Harold the Budgerigar by Foutoux All Rights Reserved Copyright L.Ivison 2013 |
Princess Morowski had left her husband 30 years ago. She was the light to his darkness, a star in the sky to his dark side of the moon. She was plump, pink cheeked and when she smiled showed a row of pearly teeth. She always dressed in green - emerald jewellry, fine turquoise dresses, shoes the colour of pistachio nuts and a lime green ribbon in her hair. Above all, she loved her garden and her beloved budgerigar Harold. She considered that she only had two problems in life - one that when Harold was let out of his cage every morning to stretch his wings he had a habit of landing on her head and his claws would ruin her hair do. The second problem was her blossom trees. It was April now - so all was well - apple blossom filled the vast chateau grounds - cascading from the leafless branches, white and pink next to the magnolias bushes. This was her heaven. But she also felt sad because she knew the blossom would only last for two weeks and after that rather dull arrow-shaped leaves would come in it place until the apples appeared.
So, knowing that her neighbour Prince Volonski had created his variety the Crimson Neige rose which bloomed all year round and that he had some curious Cogs which both barked and purred, she invited him to tea.
Princess Morowski explained the problem and the Prince listened intently, reassuring her that both problems could be solved. He told her he had a splendid duck which, if crossed with Harold the budgie, would have all the benefits of a caged birds but which, with webbed feet would not ruin her hairstyle. He was also confident that with his experience of the Crimson Neige he could create the eternal earthly paradise for which the Princess longed with never-ending blossom trees. Besides the Prince was not immune to her plump charms.
The next day the Prince set to work in his dilapidated green house at the bottom of his Rose Garden and, sure enough, by the following Spring he had produced a Ducky - a cross between a budgie and a duck which had small webbed feet and said "Who's a pretty boy" at least 20 times a day.
Prince Volonski took his new breed over to the Princess and handed over Pistache giving the Princess a warm kiss on both plump cheeks. He then went into her grounds and planted the Eternal Blooming Blossom Trees he had created and left for home satisfied with his days work.
The following Spring he received an invitation from the Princess asking him to come to tea. He found the fine lady tearful and she explained that Pistache, although a likable bird had one major disadvantage. Although his claws did not catch in her hair when he was let out of the cage each morning, he had difficulty balancing on his perch for very long with his webbed feet and the Princess would often find him at the bottom of his cage lying on his back with a bewildered expression in his eyes.
As to the Eternal Blooming Blossom Trees - at first she had been ravished to see the heavenly blooms in May and June. But by July and August the white and pink blossom had all turned brown with the summer sun and, of course, she had no apples. The insect life of the Chateau gardens had been disturbed and she had to stay in all summer because there were so many flies and bees.
The Prince returned home, sad to have seen the distress his well-intention experiments had caused the sweet-natured Princess but the philosopher in him realised that there was a reason why budgies had claws and why apple blossom only lasted for two weeks. That, in fact, his Eternal Blooming Blossom created more a hell than a heaven on earth.
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