- Nania was born when a Jack Russell terrier and a sparrow-cross-mutt fell in love. He was the only offspring of theirs that survived the harsh life of the city they were born into, because as the only one without wings he got into less trouble and was terrified of the outside world anyway. Heartbroken, his father allowed himself to be captured by the city pound and later was given to a good home. Nania's mother, who happened to have wings, took herself and her son to London, because she had heard such wonderful things about the great city while she had been a child in America. Nania inherited his love of beautiful things from her, as well as her chronic nervousness. However, the city was less of a wonderful place to two tiny creatures, and before long Nania's mother took off for the countryside. Nania, however, had fallen in love with the city and decided to stay.