Birdy's Grudge

0:00Diesel price is just hit a record high. There goes my margin. Not mine, brother. I switched to mudflap. But those other fuel carts just nail you with the fees. No, not mudflap. They don't have any fees. They'll monthly, annual, out of network. Not a, what I say, I keep. That's what's up. Mudflap has your back. Carriers like you save thousands per year with mudflap. Get $100 in pre-fuel credits after approval when you sign up at Muddy.com slash podcast. Spelt MUDDY.com slash podcast. Terms of restrictions apply to mudflaping.com. Mudflap lead artist issued by Celtic Bank or Community Federal Savings Bank. Resumption to a license from Diesel USA. Hello, you're listening to Johnna. And I'm back with one of our popular birdie stories. MUSIC It's a hoot of a story and I hope you'll enjoy it. One dark evening back in February, Jake heard hooting sounds from the back garden. MUSIC

1:00He pulled on his wellies and coat, took a torch from the cupboard, and hurried out into the rain to investigate. Jake followed the hoots towards an old apple tree. There the beam of his torch found two enormous yellow eyes, looking straight at him. He ran back to the house. Mum, dad, come and see! I think I found an owl. It's in the garden! Jake couldn't wait to tell his best friend birdie about his discovery. But birdie didn't appear that night. He must have been busy elsewhere. The next morning, Mum yawned as she made breakfast. Oh, I wish that owl would keep quiet. She complained. He was twit-to-wing half the night. Or a haven't slept a wink. After supper, dad found an owl video on YouTube. The family watched it together. They learned that the female tawny owl,

2:03makes a cry-like. And the male answers her with a... Whoooo! I heard both those sounds. Said Mum. I think we have a pair of owls. I expect they'll be a whole family in the spring. Now Jake was even more excited. He was sure that Birdie would be too. After all, Birdie was a bird. So he would be interested in the latest bird gossip, wouldn't he? That night Birdie paid a visit. The ancient crow was at Jake's window. Come in Birdie, I've got big news. We have owls. Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. Said Birdie. Sorry, it's good news, isn't it? Birdie shook his black head. Owls are the worst type of news. They're never up to any good in my experience.

3:04Oh, said Jake astonished. In school, they teach us that owls are wise. Cwaaaaaa! Said Birdie shaking his head. And Jake realised that he might have offended his furthered friend. No, not as wise as Crow's, of course, Birdie. I just mean, you know, they're not stupid. Owls. Said Birdie. Oh, cunning. But cunning is not the same thing as wise. Unfortunately, some people can't tell the difference. I knew an owls, who even managed to trick the goddess Athena. Jake could tell that one of Birdie's stories was coming on, so he sat back against his pillow. It happened long, long ago. And I don't mean long ago like when your dad was a little kid.

4:07I mean, properly long ago like back in ancient times when even I was handsome and full of youth. Back then, the goddess Athena thought very highly of me. I was her favourite bird, and I lived in her temple on the Acropolis, the Great Hill above Athens. As a mark of her favour, she made little silver coins with my handsome face stamped upon them. Now, the King of Athens was called Sea Grops. Sea Grops had three daughters. And Athena gave them a special box to guard. Whatever you do, don't open it, she told them. Naturally, that made them desperate to know what was inside.

5:11One day they lifted the lid and took a peek. I saw the whole thing from a nearby tree, so I flew straight to Athena and told her. Yermaw, I think, she would have thanked me. But now, she flew into a terrible rage and told me off-good and proper. Don't be such a spy at a telltale teach, she said. I don't want to hear nasty stories about more favourite urban beings. Keep your beak out of other peoples business. Sorry, my lady, or said. I didn't realise you were so touchy today. And don't you talk back to her goddess, she cried. Leave my Acropolis and don't show your gossipy face around her ever again. So she kicked me out.

6:11Just because I told her the truth. I thought it was very strange. Yeng, I discovered that an owl had been paying her visits. Bring her presence and flattery. To it to you, by far the world is the most beautiful goddess in the world. He used to say, he knew that flattery will get you everywhere with a Greek goddess. Soon after, she appointed the owl her most favourite bird and put his puffy face on all her coins. All the crow coins disappeared. Ever since then, everyone has believed that owls are wise. We crow's are far smarter.

7:12But don't we get any appreciation? A bit of it! I'd chase those owls away if I were you. Mark my words. They're cutting birds. And you never know what trick they're up to. Jake could see there was no use arguing with birdie. He obviously held an ancient grudge against owls. The rain does not continue forever, not even in England. Spring brought daffodils and little owlets in the apple tree. Jake couldn't see the baby owls, but once or twice at dusk. He saw a parent owl bringing their baby's subrenits claws. By May, the baby owls were becoming increasingly noisy. They called for food until four in the morning. Now mum hated owls almost as much as birdie did. One morning she went out into the garden to water her plants.

8:13Oh, yuck! That's disgusting! Mum shrieked as she saw owl droppings and bird pellets scattered over her lawn. The pellets that the owls coughed up contain things like mouse bones and rat skulls. That evening when Jake told birdie the story, he said. Say, I told you owls were bad news. The habits are disgusting! Oh mumma agrees with you, said Jake. But dad still likes them. He thinks they bring good luck. So layman! Court birdie. In early summer, dad found an owllet hopping along the garden wall sounding distressed. Dad thought it must have fallen out of the apple tree. So he put on his thick gardening gloves and tried to pick it up.

9:13As he bent over, a rush of air brushed the back of his neck, something tugged at his head. Suddenly, his head felt strangely cool. He looked up and saw an owl flying off with his gardening hat. Hey! I was only trying to rescue your young one! Shouted dad. The second parent joined the attack. Jake seen this, immediately grabbed his tennis racket, rushed outside and shouted. Hey, help my dad! As he went to help his dad, a loud calling came from the roof of the house. Three black crows, led by birdie, shot down in an arrowhead formation. Within seconds, the garden was full of beating wings and shaking leaves.

10:15It was big to big and claw to claw. Black and brown feathers fluttered down onto the lawn. The battle of the birds was noisy and fierce. But it blasted barely more than a minute. The crows withdrew to the rooftop, while the owls returned to guard the apple tree. Meanwhile, the helpless owl lit, dug its claws into the bark, flapped his wings and clamoured back onto a branch. When Jake returned to his room, birdie landed briefly on his sill. His feathers were still ruffled and a tail feather was sticking out at a strange angle. He squawked. That showed them if those owls try any more of that dottsons, we'll be back again! He didn't wait for Jake's response and flew off. That very same evening, there was another big fight. The crows attacked the owls as they came out to hunt for mice.

11:18The same thing happened, night after night. Birdie said Jake when he landed on his windowsill. Isn't it time to call off this war? Mum says all the bird noises giving her nightmares. And dad says it's wrong to hold grudges for so long. I will accept nothing less than unconditional surrender! Declaired birdie. At dusk the next day, Jake went to talk to the owls. He stood at the foot of the apple tree and called out. Wh-whoo! And an owl replied. What can we do to stop all this noise and all this fighting? Ask Jake. We just want to live in peace and bring our part family. Reply the owl. Could you agree to keep the noise down and not steal my dad's hat again?

12:22Ooooooh! The hut was a misunderstanding. Ooooooh! We were protecting our young. And we can try not to hoot so loud. But we can't. Promise. That's okay then. Said Jake. But what can I tell birdie? He's got an ancient grudge against you. Ooooooh! We know. Reply the owl. You can give him this. The owl flew out and dropped something at Jake's feet. Whatever it was, glinted in the moonlight. Jake picked it up and felt it between his fingers. It was a coin, old and worn. When he shone his torch, he saw that a bird was engraved there. Not an owl, but a crow. Thank you. I think he'll like this.

13:23Said Jake. He ran back into the house and hoped that birdie would turn up that evening. He hadn't been visiting so much since the start of the war. Fortunately, birdie did come tapping at the window. Jake showed him the coin. That is an ancient Greek apple with a face of a crow on it. Very, very rare. Where did you get that? Asked birdie. The owl gave it to me. He replied. He asked me to give it to you as a peace offering. Peace? What's that? I don't know the meaning of peace. Exclaimed birdie. Oh, go on birdie. You're really old, but you're not very grown up sometimes. Are you? You can't hold a grudge forever.

14:23Why don't you take the coin and call off the war? Whatever happened long ago, the owls just want to live in peace and bring up their family. Birdie hopped from one leg to the other. I thought you were my friend. He squawked. I am your friend birdie. That's why I'm telling you the truth. Even though you don't like it. Isn't that what you did for Athena? Birdie let out a squawk. Go on. Take the coin. Said Jake holding it out. Nah. You keep it safe. But I'll tell you what. If the owls stop hooting at all hours, I'll call off my birds and we'll let bargains, people icons. Said birdie.

15:23And peace returned to the garden, sort of, an occasional. Let the family know that the owls were still there. And of course, the crows who perched on the roof liked to make their presence known. Qua, qua, qua. Every now and then. And that was birdie's grudge, read by me, Jana, for story nori, inspired by a true event when an owl was keeping me awake at night. To win, win, win.