Posted by Milkwood on July 12, 1999 at 22:10:49 from fnbs0347.ppp.infoweb.ne.jp:
Hello, this is a question that was posted a while ago and triggered some discussion at a cyber AR forum in Japan.
What's in question here is a passage from Chapter 14 of "Swallows and Amazons" where Susan and Titty had
the following exchange about a kettle on the boil:
'It'll change its tune in a minute,' said the mate.
'Like the cuckoo,' said Titty, 'except that kettles change their tune as soon as they boil,
and don't wait till June.'
Now I have never given the subject much thought, but now that I do I must confess taht I don't know anything
about it. I think as a child I simply took Titty's remark to mean that cuckoos start making different sounds
(perhaps they sound more faltering earlier?) in summer.
One forum participant went so far as to make an inquiry of Japanese Wildlife Association, but their answer was a
polite but rather disappointing" We are sorry but we don't know."
So, is it a widely accepted idea in U.K. that cuckoos sing differently in June? Or does Titty refer to their change of
attitude that is known as parasitizing here? I must say I am (and we are) quite muddled, and your help would be
greatly appreciated. Thank you.