The Beautiful Yellow Bird - A Cautionary Tale for New MPs

Once upon a time, there lived a beautiful yellow bird. Her name was Liberal Democracy and many of those who saw her said she was the most beautiful bird in the land.

But the beautiful yellow bird was unhappy, for no matter where she looked she just couldn't find anywhere to build herself a safe and cosy nest. For years, she flew this way and that but to no avail. Finally, she gave up. "Oh," she cried, "How will I ever build a nest so I can lay my eggs and hatch more beautiful yellow birds?"

Then, one day, she came across a mighty oak tree. The oak tree was tall and stout. She flew thrice around the tree, admiring its many green leaves and strong boughs.

"Perhaps, after all this time, I've found the perfect place to build my nest!" the beautiful yellow bird exclaimed. "This mighty oak tree looks so strong, I'm certain it could weather any storm and keep my nest safe and sound!"

Then the beautiful yellow bird heard a voice: "Why, you're such a beautiful yellow bird that I'd be honoured if you would build your nest among my boughs. We could keep each other company in the storms - sometimes the wind blows so hard that even I feel afraid. I'd look after your eggs and help you hatch them out!"

The beautiful yellow bird was astounded to hear the tree speak to her, but she felt so relieved to have found the perfect place after so long that she flew straight to the tree and perched high up among its leaves.

Soon the beautiful yellow bird set to work, gathering lots of twigs and pieces of soft moss, and she built a safe and cosy nest among the strong boughs of the mighty oak tree. It was such a lovely nest that she felt secure and comfortable, so it was not long until...

...she laid three eggs! Would you like to count them? 1...2...3!

Within a few weeks, the eggs hatched in lovely little yellow fluffy chicks and the beautiful yellow bird tended to them, feeding then every day in the hope that they would grow up to be big and strong. When they were old enough, she asked them what they wanted to do when they left the nest and how they would bring joy to all who saw them, just as she had done.

"I want to make the world a better place," said the first chick, "by introducing a way that means when we decide who shall be our next ruler, we choose the one that most people want."

"I want to make the world a better place," said the second chick, "by introducing a way that means that the rich people have to pay more taxes than the poor people."

"I want to make the world a better place," said the third chick, "by teaching people that it's wrong to throw their rubbish into the fields and rivers so that the land doesn't become poisoned."

The beautiful yellow bird was proud of her chicks and she hoped that the day would come when they would be able to realise their ambitions and make the land a happier place for everyone. But then, all of a sudden, she heard a strange rustling noise coming from among the mighty oak tree's leaves.

"Oh! Whoever could it be?" she cried, wondering who else could be in the mighty oak tree. "I do hope it's some visitor, come to admire my chicks!"

But it was not a visitor come to admire her chicks. With dismay, the beautiful yellow bird saw that it was four of the greediest, fattest cats she had ever seen.

"Ha ha! We tricked you, beautiful yellow bird," said the greedy fat cats. "We made you think the oak tree welcomed you and your chicks, but it was us all along! Trees can't talk!"

With that, three of the greedy fat cats pounced upon the chicks and ate them all up, before the greediest, fattest cat of them all caught the beautiful yellow bird in his razor-sharp claws and chewed her into little pieces, eating them in turn until there was nothing left of her.

The chicks never did get to do the wonderful things they had promised their mother, and never again was such a beautiful yellow bird seen flying over the land.

The End.