Parrot Takes Command

By Roy Lancaster

‘Parrot was very angry indeed. He was also very wet. Although he had heard the cry to abandon ship, and had even seen the sailors jumping into the lifeboat, before he could jump in too, the huge, towering wave swept him spluttering and squawking over the side.'
After this dramatic start, Parrot, a bird who has forgotten how to fly having spent most of his life on perches or human shoulders, has to learn how to survive in a wide open and at times dangerous sea. But he is not alone, a handful of other animals share his shipwrecked fate and place their trust in him to see them through.
Parrot Takes Command is a delightful book full of adult relationship themes covered at a child's level. It is funny, a little dangerous and is beautifully illustrated.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Austin Macauley
• Release date: Jul 4, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370923403

Roy Lancaster

Roy Lancaster was born in London and qualified as an architect, designing many projects throughout the Middle East where he opened an office and spent most of his architectural working life. After retirement he took up writing, mainly children's material. He now lives in Cheltenham with his wife.

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About the Author

Roy Lancaster was born in London and qualified as an architect, designing many projects throughout the Middle East where he opened an office and spent most of his architectural working life. After retirement he took up writing, mainly children’s material. He now lives in Cheltenham with his wife.

For Kim

The illustrations in this book are by the American artist Debbie Warren.

Roy Lancaster

PARROT TAKES COMMAND

Copyright © Roy Lancaster (2017)

The right of Roy Lancaster to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with section 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.

Any person who commits any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.

ISBN 9781786938947 (Paperback)

ISBN 9781786938954 (E-Book)

www.austinmacauley.com

First Published (2017)

Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd.™

25 Canada Square

Canary Wharf

London

E14 5LQ

The crew come aboard

Parrot was very angry indeed. He was also very wet. Although he had heard the cry to abandon ship, and had even seen the sailors jumping into the lifeboat, before he could jump in too, the huge, towering wave swept him spluttering and squawking over the side.

And now, the ship was sunk, the sailors were gone, and Parrot was in the water, half drowned, hardly able to swim and not remembering how to fly, which is not surprising having spent most of his life on perches or being carried around on human shoulders.

Suffering seahorses! he said to himself. What a mess I’m in, but at least I’m alive and if I could just reach that floating sea chest over there I’d be safe for I would have a very fine lifeboat of my own.

And reach it he did, with a series of hops, skips and inelegant half-flying jumps that scattered fish for metres around, but which finally landed him in the bottom of the boat with a painful thump.

Ouch! he cried, digging large, wooden splinters from his rear end.

Ouch! echoed Mouse, who was sitting quietly in a corner, removing the remains of a cheese lunch from between her teeth. I bet that hurt, she said.

Not a bit, replied Parrot somewhat embarrassed, his cheeks turning redder than normal and feathers ruffling. I always fly like that.

Hmm, muttered Mouse, not quite believing him.

And how did you get here? asked Parrot, quickly trying to divert attention from his sorry appearance.

Oh, I live here, Mouse replied. This is my home, and I was just enjoying a lunch of Cheddar cheese starters, followed by a main course of a very fine Belpais, washed down by a dessert of delicious creamy Stilton, when the huge, towering wave lifted me, and this chest, over the side. Hardly had time to finish the cheese course after my lunch!

Well, at the sound of all that cheese, Parrot felt quite sick. His colour changed from red to amber and then to the brightest of bright greens, and he quickly ran to the side – just in case. And as he miserably stood there, cursing this most miserable of days, he found himself looking down into the eyes of Rabbit, who happened to be passing by in his own lifeboat an old, well blackened and leaky saucepan.

Ahoy there, shipmate! cried Rabbit. You look like a set of traffic lights changing colour like that. What’s up? Seasick?

Parrot’s pride as an old seafarer was deeply hurt by this remark, and he soon forgot he was feeling sick and changed back through the colours to red again.

Certainly not! he retorted. Err, beautiful parrots like me often change colours like that.

Mmmm, muttered Rabbit, not quite believing him.

Once again Parrot found himself having to divert attention from his appearance and quickly demanded to know why Rabbit was in an old, and leaky saucepan anyway.