A MAN AND HIS PARROT

A Man and His Parrot

A man had a parrot. It was a very beautiful bird and every day the man talked to it. 
"Pretty Polly," he said. "You are a pretty Polly."
"Pretty Polly," the parrot said. "You are Pretty Polly."
 

Every day the man spoke new words to the parrot "Hallo" he said, and "Goodbye."

One day the parrot was not in its cage. It was flying about the room. The man came into the room and saw the parrot. "What are you doing?" he said.

"What are you doing?" the parrot said.

The man laughed. Then he went out to visit his friends.

 

That evening a thief came to the house. He walked round the house and looked into the windows. There was no one at home. The thief broke open the door and entered the house. First he went into the sitting room. In the sitting room he found some bowls and vases. He put them into a sack. Then he went into the bedroom. In the bedroom he found a gold watch and some money. He put these into the sack, too. He stole many things from the house and put them into his sack.

The sack was soon full. The thief put it over his shoulder and walked to the door. He opened the door and looked out. These were no one there.

"What are you doing?" a voice said.

The thief jumped high into the air and dropped his sack. Then he ran out of the house and down the road. "What are you doing?" the voice said again: "Pretty Polly. Hallo, Goodbye. What are you doing?"