The Magpie’s Nest Lesson

All the orchard birds asked the magpie to teach them how to build nests. She chose a sturdy fork in a tree and gathered mud, twigs, feathers and soft grass for the lesson.

First, she shaped a little cup of mud. The thrush thought that was enough and flew away to practise. The magpie continued, unaware that one pupil had already left her busy classroom.

Next, she placed twigs around the cup to strengthen it. The blackbird nodded confidently and departed. He had learned a useful beginning, but had not yet heard how the nest would be finished.

The magpie added another smooth layer of mud. The owl blinked and decided he understood everything. He flew back to his own tree, while the teacher carefully checked the little nest's edges.

She wove more twigs around the outside. The sparrow chirped excitedly and hurried away with a stick. There were fewer pupils now, but the magpie was concentrating too closely to notice.

Then came the soft lining: feathers and dry grass. The starling loved this comfortable idea and left to try it. Only the dove remained, repeating her gentle call instead of watching the work.

The magpie finally looked up and found her lesson almost empty. The dove had missed several steps too. She paused, feeling disappointed that everyone had hurried away before the last important details.

The birds tried building on their own, but each remembered a different part. Some nests needed more support, others more lining. They returned to the magpie and admitted that they had left too soon.

This time they stayed through the whole lesson. The dove watched carefully, and the sparrow asked questions. The magpie explained that strong foundations, woven sides and a comfortable lining all worked together.

Soon the orchard held many cosy homes. They were different, because each bird liked different things. In this old tale, their first unfinished lessons explain why nests never all look the same.