The Ginger Nuts and The Four Magpies


“Good morning, daughter,” said Mrs Ribby, as Ruby bounced in to look for her breakfast.

“Mewp, Mewp, Mamma, what have they given us?”

Mrs Ribby turned to show the part empty saucers. “You’d better hurry, Ruby, before those older, hungry boys arise from their slumbers. By the way, those biscuits that were sent over by the PickleOdeon’s Old Master are actually rather tasty - you should try them.”

“Mewp, were they sent as an attempt at an apology and reconciliation, for all the times he chases us and forces our cat flap?”

“We shall see,” replied Ribby, “although seemingly, his teeth are troubling him - he is 13 you know!”

Ruby delicately tried a couple of the new biscuits, “meup, they are quite nice.”


She spotted her mother neatly poking a paw into the corner of her oblong biscuit dish to push the last morsel into a better position.

“Macowsers, that’s neat mamma, how did you do that?”

“Look and learn, Ruby, look and learn. I made the mistake of revealing to our dear Very Old Mistress that I can do this trick, so I may as well show you too. I learnt it on my survival course whilst living rough in the back alleys ….. did I ever tell you about that?”

“Yawn, yawn,” smiled Ruby, “on many occasions, although that paw trick is one I shall master.”


“Have you seen the young Magpies in our garden? Their new adult plumage is brilliant and they are learning new tricks every day as their upbringing is completed.”

“How many are there Mamma?”

“I think there are four, but sometimes more. They all look exactly alike, so we don’t know if the extra ones are their parents or just cousins or suchlike.”

“Are you sure there are four, Mamma?” asked Ruby.

“Mirrawacow Ruby, I can count them on my paws, but I refuse to include my tail unless it’s to signify more than four. Although from what I’ve heard on the wildlife grapevine, the Corvids can count up to seven or eight.”

“Let’s go and watch them through the hedge, Mamma.”