THE POETIC PARROT
By
An incredible, jolly tale about a parrot in the Central Park zoo who is in the habit of tossing off couplets. Percy the Poetic Parrot was content to squark out pretty bouquets to Mr. Tinker, his keeper, and the young Tinkers, and to say horrid things to the visitors outside his cage. However, one day Percy escaped into the park, flying low over the different animal pens and cages, hurling rhymed insults. From the zoo, after a happy visit with the seals, Percy flies on, pursued by the fire department. But in the end Percy is forgiven as he catches two burglars during an overnight stay in a pet shop. The sketches by Kurt Wiese are delightful -- in one drawing Percy has all the sour disgust of Ned Sparks. In all, good fun.