Tonight, we’ll read “The Story of the Herons,” from a collection titled “Moonshine and Clover” written by Laurence Housman and published in 1922. Housman was an openly gay man during the Victorian era when homosexuality was severely stigmatized. He was an activist for both the women's right to vote and for the acceptance of gay people in society. If you enjoy this episode, be sure to listen to “The First Voyage | Sinbad the Sailor” which aired on July 18, 2022. Herons are long-legged, long-necked, long-billed freshwater and coastal birds. They include egrets, which are differentiated simply by their typical white feathers instead of grey. Although herons resemble birds in some other families, such as the storks and cranes, herons differ from these in flying with their necks retracted, not outstretched. — read by V — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices