A pious Christian bought a parrot. When he brought it home the good man was horrified to hear the parrot say, “Hiya boys — my name’s Mimi . . . I’m a bad girl. Come upstairs and have some fun!” At this moment the parish priest arrived, and to the parishioners horror, the bird repeated the same words, “Hiya boys — my name’s Mimi . . . I’m a bad girl. Come upstairs and have some fun!”

Noting the man’s dismay, the Priest said, “Don’t worry, bring the bird round to the vicarage. I have two good Christian birds there who do nothing but recite the Rosary together. They will surely bring your sinful parrot back to God.”

The parrot was duly brought to the Priest’s house and there, sure enough, were two parrots in a cage reciting the Rosary. The wicked parrot was set down beside them, and to begin with the other birds took no notice. Then the new arrival cocked its head on one side, and said, “Hiya boys — my name’s Mimi . . . I’m a bad girl. Come upstairs and have some fun!”

“Throw your beads away George,” said one of the vicarage birds to the other. “Our prayers are answered.”