Little Bright Bird
An Original Story by Karen Tovell
Little Bright Bird was not feeling very bright – his eyes were dull, his wings were limp and his beak drooped low.
“I have forgotten how to fly,” said Little Bright Bird, “and I just don’t care!”
He jumped and jumped, and flapped and flapped, but he did not budge an inch. And so he sat there on the ground in the middle of the forest with the canopy of trees high above his head, and it was very dark and gloomy for Little Bright Bird.
The Elephant came by and tried to be helpful: “I can teach you how to stamp – just like this!”
“I don’t want to learn to stamp,” said Little Bright Bird.
The Snake came by and tried to be helpful: “I can teach you how to slither – just like this!”
“I don’t want to learn to slither, and I don’t want to learn to stamp,” said Little Bright Bird.
The Monkey came by and tried to be helpful: “I can teach you how to climb – just like this!”
“I don’t want to learn to climb, and I don’t want to learn to slither, and I don’t want to learn to stamp,” said Little Bright Bird. “I have forgotten how to FLY.”
He jumped and jumped, and flapped and flapped, but he did not budge an inch. He felt very angry with himself.
“I just don’t care,” he said.
The Deer came by and tried to be helpful: “I can teach you how to run – just like this!”
“I don’t want to learn to run, and I don’t want to learn to climb, and I don’t want to learn to slither, and I don’t want to learn to stamp,” said Little Bright Bird.
The Ant came by and tried to be helpful: “I can teach you how to crawl – just like this!”
“I don’t want to learn to crawl, and I don’t want to learn to run, and I don’t want to learn to climb, and I don’t want to learn to slither, and I don’t want to learn to stamp,” said Little Bright Bird.
The Tiger came by and tried to be helpful: “I can teach you how to prowl – just like this!”
“I don’t want to learn to prowl, and I don’t want to learn to crawl, and I don’t want to learn to run, and I don’t want to learn to climb, and I don’t want to learn to slither, and I don’t want to learn to stamp,” said Little Bright Bird. “I have forgotten how to FLY.”
He jumped and jumped, and flapped and flapped, but he did not budge an inch. He looked very unhappy.
“I just don’t care,” he said.
Then all at once he looked up as a glimmer of light broke through the darkness.
“Look!” said Little Bright Bird. “There is such a beautiful yellow flower growing above our heads in the forest canopy. Such a blossom must have a wonderful perfume – I want to smell it.”
He jumped and jumped, and he flapped and flapped, and he took off flying right into the air – higher and higher, until at last he came to the beautiful yellow flower.
What a surprise he got! It was not a flower at all, it was the yellow sun.
The Sun’s face broke out into a warm beaming smile and he said: “You see, Little Bright Bird, you did not forget how to fly. You just had to want to fly again – and when the time was right for you, then you did not prowl, and you did not crawl, and you did not run, and you did not climb, and you did not slither, and you did not stamp – you FLEW!”
Little Bright Bird’s eyes shone, his feathers showed their pretty colours, his beak was upright as he proudly said: “I did fly again, didn’t I?” And he flew down over the heads of all the other animals showing off. But they did not mind – not one little bit!
Little Bright Bird © K. Tovell 2005