Gay-Neck, the Story of a PigeonThe story of the training of a carrier pigeon and its service during the First World War, revealing the bird's courageous and spirited adventures over the housetops of an Indian village, in the Himalayan Mountains, and on the French battlefield. |
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animal attack beak began birds boom branch buffalo cage carriers circle climbed colour Darjeeling dark Dentam doubt ducks eagle eagle's nest enemy eyes face fear feathers feet fell felt fire fish flew flight flock flown followed forest frightened gave Gay-Neck geese German Ghond gone grew ground half hawk head healed heard higher Himalayas Hira hole hopped hour India Indian army insects Jahore jungle killed knew Lama Lamasery lassoo leopards looked meditation metal dogs minutes morning mother Mount Everest Neck night noises odour opened his wings owls parents peace peaks perch pigeon fanciers pigeons Radja Rasseldar reached rhododendrons roof rose sight Sikkim Singalele sleep song sparrow soon sound strange suddenly swifts tail talons terror thou thought tiger took tree tumbled village waited walked wild wind wing-beats
Popular passages
Page 197 - Whatever we think and feel will colour what we say or do. He who fears, even unconsciously, or has his least little dream tainted with hate, will inevitably, sooner or later, translate these two qualities into his action. Therefore, my brothers, live courage, breathe courage and give courage. Think and feel love so that you will be able to pour out of yourselves peace and serenity as naturally as a flower gives forth fragrance. Peace be unto all!
Page 1 - Love and care have been showered on pigeons for centuries i by emperors, princes and queens in their marble palaces, as well as by the poor, in their humble homes. The gardens, grottos and fountains of the Indian rich — the small field of flowers and fruits of the common folks, each has its ornament and music, — many-colored pigeons and cooing white doves with ruby eyes.
Page 146 - CHAPTER VI GHOND GOES RECONNOITRING BOUT the first week of December, Ghond and GayNeck were to go on a reconnaissance trip all by themselves. The place they went to was a forest not far from Ypres, Armentieres, and Hasbrouck. If you take a map of France and draw a line from Calais south almost in a straight line, you will come across a series of places where the British and Indian armies were situated. Near Armentieres there are many of Indian Mohommadan soldiers. There are no graves of Indian Hindu...
Page 166 - I need to be healed of fear and hate. I saw too much killing of man by man. I was invalided home for I am sick with a fell disease — sickness of fear, and I must go alone to nature to be cured of my ill." So he went up to Singalele to the Lamasery, there to be healed by prayer and meditation. In the meantime I tried my utmost to cure GayNeck. His wife and full-grown children failed to help him. His children saw in him but a stranger, for he...
Page 142 - ... removed the film from my eyes I saw far away against the grey sky, our line. We flew towards it. "Hardly had we flown half way homeward when a terrible eagle with black crosses all over it flew nearer and spat fire at us — puck puff, puck puff, pop pa. . . . We ducked and did the best we could. We flew back to its rear. There the machine could not hit us. Imagine us flying over the tail of that machine-eagle. It could do nothing. It began to circle. So did we. It turned somersaults. So did...
Page 92 - There ends my Odyssey. The next day I said goodbye to the swifts. They went further south, and I was glad to get home, a wiser and a sadder bird. Now," demanded Gay-Neck, "tell me this. Why is there so much killing and inflicting of pain by birds and beasts on one another? I don't think all of you men hurt each other. Do you? But birds and beasts do. All that makes me so sad.
Page 48 - It has been our practice for centuries to pray for all who sleep. At this hour of the night even the insomnia-stricken person finds oblivion and since men when they sleep...