This is a short story I wrote for a seven year old friend, Arushi...
A little red birdie spoke to me and gave me a message – This earth belongs to us all – plants, insects, animals, and birds… not only to humans. Our talk, which was interrupted, will go on… soon, I’m sure!
Starts here…
It happened last Saturday… I woke up early in the morning and went to the park. The park is right next to my house. Usually some of my friends play football but none seemed to be around today. So I thought I’ll take a little walk and go back home.
It had rained all night. The sun was just beginning to rise in the eastern, orange sky. The plants and trees looked greener than usual. The grass - bright and glistening in the early morning light… There were such pretty flowers in different colors all around. Red roses with a lovely scent, lilies, sunflowers and so many more…
A little further near a delicate, purple flower sat a tiny red bird with a thin, black beak. So cute! Cautiously, I took a step forward… and then another… and another. My eyes on the bird!
“What are you looking at?” asked a high-pitched voice.
I turned around. No one! Who spoke? There’s nobody around.
“Yes, I’m talking to you!” Was it the little red bird speaking? Impossible… or are my ears ringing? “You humans don’t think we birds are too smart, do you? What is it you call people who aren’t smart? Bird-brained?” And it laughed – a shrill high-pitched laugh. “You’ll be shocked if you hear the names we call you humans.”
I was shocked! One doesn’t hear birds speaking everyday! I’d once heard a talking parrot, but this is different.
“We birds have been learning your language for quite a while. We’re considered smart if we know a foreign language, you know.”
Slowly, I was getting used to this. “So… you guys… I mean, you birds… do this… I mean, talk to people… eh... often?” I managed to stutter.
“Sometimes, to little ones like you… when nobody’s looking. But only to the nice ones who are well-behaved and kind. I was sitting on a branch of the almond tree, yesterday afternoon, when you fed milk and bread to the little kitten. I’m not fond of kittens, they grow up and chase us birds, but I admit, what you did was very touching. And my friends, the sparrow and the bulbul visit your balcony, where you keep fresh water everyday for us birds to drink. The sparrow wanted to talk to you and thank you but was afraid a grown-up would overhear.”
“Thanks.” I said, blushing. Such rich compliments! No one had praised me for this behavior before. Last month a group of boys from my class were throwing stones at a dog. I told them to stop… tried to explain that it’s cruel to hit animals. But they called me a sissy. It’s OK, they can call me names but I don’t think it is brave to throw stones or scare away animals.
“All of us birds want to be friends with you… With you and all those who think that this earth belongs to us as well…”
Just then I heard voices. I turned around. “Hey, let’s play football.” It was my friends.
“See you later.” I heard my new red-feathered friend. I looked just in time to see him fly.
Sure enough, I see him and so many different birds in my balcony. Very soon, I am going to continue my conversation, I’m sure.
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