THE BLACK-WINGED TERROR OF ABERPENNAR
Quoth the Raven: " Just one more Added to my store !"
as he laid a new " egg" in his already overcrowded nest. It was not the kind out of which zealous hatching can produce a little replica of the brooding mother or father, but the kind that a celebrated rubber -company produces at half a crown each.
The other day three zealous golfers were spending a half holiday on the Aberdare Valley (Mountain Ash) links, accompanied by the melancholy shades of Colonel Bogey and his two lieutenants—Bunkers and Hazards= when there' suddenly appeared a shade even *mole sinister and much more to be dreaded. We were playing. the sixth I hole. One of the trio had played his second shot and landed it near the- green. . When another was addressing his ball the former shouted out : " Good heavens ! Look ! He's got my ball ! " When we gazed that way we saw a raven rising from the ground; breasting the strong south-easter that was blowing, and soaring into the radiant blue. He made a most beautiful silhouette. And there in his beak, reflected in the rays of the brilliant sun, shone. what might haVe been .the sparkling diamond of a fabulous, Golconda. Hiving with some difficulty got the right line of flight he sailed leisurelr. away toward Lletty. ShenkinrHouse,, the- home of General- Charles Bruce, the hero. of Everest. (I hope no one will conclude from this- statement that the bird is the property of the gallant General, or that he has specially trained it for this nefarious pastime !) Two holes afterwards there was a wall to be negotiated, which hides the fairway. The three drove off, but the one ball we knew to be in the centre could nowhere be found. After a careful search we gave it up, although amazed at our inability to find it.
Then we did two more holes—to the " valley " one. Two balls were here driven off—one very long, to the edge. of the green. As I was addressing my ball on the, tee there came a cry of woe : " Good G—, he's _ got, that one, too ! " When we looked there was the same, sinister winged one with another " diamond " in his capacious beak.
At the next hole I went as forward " caddy "—against the wish of the others, who considered it was unnecessary —but as soon as they had driven off the bird suddenly appeared from nowhere at the spot that normal drives , usually lie. The same thing happened again at the next hole ; the bird mysteriously appearing as soon as a ball landed on the fairway. Then he disappeared. On the next hole of about 150 yards we had all driven off, and were quietly starting from the tee, when out of the blue the same black figure swooped down on the furthest ball. He was in the act of picking it up when one of us ran forward shouting and clapping his hands.: At the shock the bird dropped the ball, and sailed with a waddling flight back to the scene of his successful. exploits.
Then it was discovered that on the previous " blind "- fairway he must -have quietly "added another egg to his treasure trove before we Could negotiate the wall that hid it from view.
When we returned to the club-house a couple came in (the only other players on the course) and asked if a bird had got one of our balls. After hearing our story they confessed that the renowned of Edgar Allen' POe had also secured three of theirs, and very nearly secured a foUrth !
If there is any player who wants really exciting golf, by which the opposition of Colonel Bogey is reduced to the veriest shadow, let him visit a links that is haunted by a real sporting raven.
It was said that the bird ought to be shot, but I ventured to suggest that it would be much more enter- prising to form a syndicate of trackers, and by the Jure of cheap repaints gradually track the depredator to his mountainous lair. If they met the intrepid General on their way he would, I am sure, join in and be the most enthusiastic and cheery of the band. Then when they had recovered enough virtually new golf balls to last a lifetime, this black-winged terror should be trapped, killed, stuffed, and sent to the Welsh National Museuni as the hero of a perfectly true golfing. story Which will never be believed.
LEWIS DAVIES.
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