Prized Bird

Pencil on paper Individual size including white border (29.7x 42 cm) Total size including Frame (59.4x 84.1 cm) “The prized songbird” is a local folklore, and a story I consistently heard growing up when I was at a local Dim Sum restaurant. Dim Sum is a local selection of small dishes which is always served with hot tea. From a very young age I realised Dim Sum was surrounded by traditions. I quickly learnt that the minute you have finished your tea pot you must place the lid on the side of the teapot rather than shut with the lid. The shorter version of this tale is an old man had a prized songbird which he would bring to the restaurant and hang in a cage above him as he ate his breakfast. Meanwhile he could hear his song bird sing whilst he was eating his meal. However, one day, the cage broke and for fear of it flying away, he put the bird in the teapot, placing the lid carefully on top. When the waiter came round to fill up his tea he poured it straight into the pot and the poor prized bird was killed.