As a child, Beryl loved the book Wood Magic written by Richard Jefferies, first published in 1881. This is a story written for children about a small boy called Bevis and his experiences in a wood. He meets a wide range of birds and animals, all of whom speak to him and involve him in their adventures. This wild animal kingdom is ruled by the one-eyed magpie, Kapchak, and is under attack from the barbarian hordes of Emperor Choo Hoo, the wood pigeon, while being undermined from within by the treachery of the hawk, crow and weasel.

"Bevis and the squirrel, the hare and the two jays proceeded to the pollard-tree; there was no need for Bevis to hide now, because he was recognized as a great friend of the squirrel's and the enemy of the weasel. A noisy crowd had already collected, which was augmented every minute, and there was a good deal of rough pushing and loud talking , not unmingled with blows. They were all there (except the weasel), the goldfinch, the tomtit, the chaffinch, the thrush, the blackbird, the missel-thrush, all of them, jays, the alien pigeons, doves, woodpeckers, the rat, the mouse, the stoat, and the fox. As the crowd increased, so did the uproar, till the owl appeared at the balcony of the mansion, and the woodpecker called for silence..." (from Chapter XVI - "The New King", page 241).

Beryl decided to name her cows after the birds and wildflowers in the book and her bulls after the animals.

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