Have you ever heard of willow whistle? That’s some kind of toy I used to play when I was a little boy.

Here comes the picture:

Willow Whistles in a plate

I am very happy that I can still make these whistles today. I have not done this for about twenty years. I made these two last Saturday. The shorter one can make really good voice.

I’ll show you how to make it.

The whistle is made of willow branch. You break a small segment of branch off a willow, then twist it slightly to separate the bark from the xylem. You can feel it when all the bark has been separated. Then you draw the xylem out of the bark and you get a pipe. This should be done carefully so that the pipe is not broken by the bumps of the xylem. At last, you should remove the thin green outer layer of the bark with a knife and your willow-whistle is ready.

Put it into your mouth and blow it. Wow, what a wonderful instrument!

Enjoy willow whistles in Spring!