A Devoted , Gander Mrs. Bernard Townsend, of Brentwood, Essex, sends
this story of a devoted gander. " He and his goose lived in our half-acre paddock," she writes, " retiring each night to their wooden house beside the chickens' yard. One spring, after the goose had laid two eggs, she became ill. In spite of all endeavours to nurse her, she died and we put the two eggs under a hen. The gander moped near the chickens without spirit to go to the paddock, but when the eggs hatched out he hurried to the run, and the second morning early he set to work to unfasten the wire. As we came out he was fiercely attacking the hen to drive her off. We rescued her and held the gander while we moved the goslings to a suitable nest, where he kept them warm and allowed us to feed and water them. When they were older he led them out to the paddock. We had, meanwhile, bought a second wife—a two-year-old goose—for him, but the poor thing led a lonely life. He would not allow her to come near the goslings. She had to sit apart all day. When the goslings were about six months, we sold one to a farmer who lived about a mile away. The gander set up a long shouting call each morning and after two days the gosling responded and came flying back. We asked the farmer to take the two goslings to Guildford market. The gander didn't call any more and he didn't mope for long, but, although tolerating his second wife, he waited until the following spring before accepting her."
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