HISTORY OF THE 2CV
THE 2CV SAVES THE SWANS OF THE "IJSSELMEER"
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| It has never been so cold before as in that hard winter of 1962-1963. The "IJsselmeer", most winters the residence for Dutch birds, has frozen completely and is covered by a layer of snow. Short, heavy gusts of wind castigate the unmoving surface, and blow up the feathers of birds that are seized with cold. The lake remains motionless in expectation of new life. The swans drag their tired wings while moving slowly over the ice while they become exhausted. They are searching idle for their usual food. They are deceived by the endless white extensiveness of the landscape, lost, without food they are standing there, convicted to a horrible death. But the Dutch people love these big white birds and don't let them down. They organise rescue actions: every day the 2CV's of the "Wegenwacht" (they are the only cars that can drive on the ice without danger) bring food to the swans and other birds and they evacuate the birds that have been hit most by the cold. And after a short while the birds come running from all sides, as soon as they see a 2CV approaching, and they throw up a white cloud of snowflakes. In The Netherlands people are saying that the swans are rescued that winter by the "ugly duck". |
