The Four Feathers by Ruskin Bond is a short story originating from his school days, when he was in Shimla in a prep school. Bond and three more friends of him formed a gang of boys; they took different features to signify their worth in the gang. Also, it meant that they are companions in adventure, comrades-in-arms, and Knights of the Round Table. The features were from peacock, woodpecker, parrot and falcon. They chose as per their skills and behavior. For Bond it was of a parrot’s, since he hadn’t much choice.