RED CHESTED CUCKOO

In South Africa we get the ‘Red Chested Cuckoo’ commonly known in my language as the ‘Peet-My-Wife’ due to the similarity in the sound of its call, to the sound of the words in my native tongue. A kind of ‘onomatopoeia’ among the old Boer folk, probably lost in some old folk jest long ago, as ancient as Africa itself. As eternal as the everlasting sentinel mountains on high, and pale blue skies above. A call from the heart – a call from home. I learnt to whistle its tune when I was a lad and I could still whistle loud and strong. The bird would answer me out in is its perch hidden somewhere in the bush, and another might follow the canon of our birdsong. Our splendid calls echoing in harmony and unison throughout the canyon. The one answering the other’s call from the heart. We could whistle to each other for while like this before the ‘Peet-My-Wife’ took flight to land on some other fancy of his in the valley and the bush. That wonderful singer of a beautiful solitary and native song; the only friend of a country boy, who feels lonesome and blue out in nature and the wild of Africa. The Red Chested Cuckoo.