The Bird That Couldn’t Fly
The Bird That Couldn’t Fly
Ryan Keith Johnson
© Copy Right 2009
All Rights Reserved.
Once there was a penguin named Perry. He lived where it was cold, but Perry didn't care, he liked it just the way it was. Perry the penguin loved to explore; he loved to go on adventures from place to place and visit animals that were nice.
The little penguin loved to take walks. Perry the penguin saw that there was a beautiful river leading to the mountains. He wanted to see the mountains because they looked so beautiful so one day he decided to follow the river to the mountains. Through his journey Perry lost his way home.
Poor Perry, the penguin, was sad when he could not find his way back. The penguin looked at the shiny stream, white flaky snow and beautiful mountains. Now he was alone, away from his mother, father and sister. How would he ever find his way back?
Mother Pelican flew high in the sky. She was flying by the mountains and was flying over the stream with her giant wings when she saw the sad penguin. Mother Pelican flew to him and asked, "what is the matter dear friend?"
"I am lost and cannot find my way home," he replied.
Mother pelican began thinking that the penguin could live with her and the kids. He was a young child and needed a mother, but she realized she could provide that as well as siblings. The penguin wouldn’t be alone and she smiled.
"Tell me young friend, what is your name?" asked Mother Pelican.
"My name is Perry," sobbed the young bird.
"Well Perry climb on my back and I will fly you to my nest, " she said.
Perry did and they flew high and well in the great blue sky. The flight by air was scary because they were in the sky. Perry was frightened at first, but then became excited. He felt a wave of happiness and felt saved by Mother Pelican.
They arrived at the pelican’s nest that was next to the sea. There were two kids the same age as Perry the penguin. Perry smiled at the pelicans and hoped they could be friends.
"Welcome to my home," grinned Mother Pelican.
"These are my two kids,” continued Mother Pelican as she introduced her little birds.
"This is Parter Pelican," she said while gesturing Parter to see Perry
"Well say hello," ordered Mother Pelican.
Parter looked at Perry, "hello," he answered.
The next pelican looked at Perry as well, "hello," he replied.
The Pelican gave Perry a very mean look, but stayed neutral whenever his mother looked at him. Perry could tell that he wasn’t liked and it was because he was new, innocent and loving.
"This is Philip Pelican,” Mother pelican smiled thinking that the young birds liked each other and would soon live in happiness.
"I must go," said Mother Pelican.
"Go where?" asked the penguin.
“I must go get some food,” said Mother Pelican as she swooped her wings up and flew away.
It was quiet and the other two pelicans looked at Perry with mean dirty looks. They looked at him as though he was evil and would’ve been happier if Mother Pelican would have fed him to the sharks. Then the thought emerged, what if Perry mysteriously disappeared.
“You can’t stay" said Parter.
"No, you cannot stay," repeated Philip.
"Why! Why not?" asked Perry.
"You’re different," said Phillip.
"Yeah, you can’t fly," added Parter.
Perry the penguin looked sadly at his flippers, "neither can you,"\
"We have feathers, you don’t!" said Phillip.
"Yeah, so that means you cannot fly!" boasted Parter.
"You can’t do anything!" laughed Philip.
"Oh, but I can do things; I can jump, I can skip, and I can run."
"Can you wink?" asked Philip.
"I can wink," answered Perry as he showed them.
"Can you roll?" asked Parter.
Perry smiled and rolled, "I can roll."
Philip and Parter were surprised of all the things that Perry could do, but Philip was mean and wanted to make Perry miserable because Perry was different.
"Can you fly?" asked Philip.
"Well no, but" squeaked the penguin.
"Ah ha you can't fly, you cannot be here, nope nope nope," laughed Philip the pelican.
Perry the penguin was sad because he could not fit in. Mother pelican came back home to the nest with food. Everyone feasted, but Perry still felt sad and worked hard to hide his pain. Not even Mother Pelican could tell what had happened.
It was night and the baby pelicans were asleep keeping each other warm. Perry was huddled in the corner by himself shivering cold. Mother Pelican couldn’t understand why Perry didn’t want to be around Parter or Philip.
"Come and keep warm with Philip and Parter, become part of the family!" she insisted.
The baby pelicans did not say anything, but they stared at Perry with coldness. They did not want their Mother to know that they despised him. They thought only about how they would rid themselves of Perry and have their mother to themselves.
The night was cool with the birds resting. A wind storm came and suddenly, without warning, Parter was swept out from the nest and into the water.
"Help, Help" he cried.
Mother Pelican woke up to the cry, but because the wind was so strong she could not fly. Mother Pelican began to cry because she could not save Parter.
"I can save him!" smiled Perry the penguin.
"No you can't fly, the wind is too strong!" cried mother Pelican.
"Oh, but I won't fly! I can't fly!" said Perry as he gave Philip a dirty look.
"Then what is it that you will do?" asked Mother Pelican.
Perry the penguin jumped into the water and glided to where he saw Parter’s head. The water was cold, but once inside he felt warm and complete like the fish and seals. Perry the penguin grabbed hold of Parter who was coughing up water.
"Help help!" gasped Parter.
"It’s all right Parter! I'm here" declared Perry as he grabbed hold of his hand and swam to shore.
Mother Pelican ran to the shore and held both birds in a hug like no other, "are you alright."
"Thank you so much," she said.
The birds walked back to the nest as the storm ended and the sun rose. Perry watched Parter hug his brother and Mother Pelican realized Perry was gifted. She also heard her stomach whine and had to get food.
"Well I must be off to get food," she said as she lifted her wings and flew away. It was silent after that and the pelicans looked at Perry. Perry became scared because the last time he was alone with them they were mean to him. A gulp went down the penguin’s throat as he expected the worst.
Philip went over to Perry with his hands placed on his shoulder, "Perry we were wrong about you, you can fly."
"Yeah, just differently," added Parter.
"Is there any way you can forgive us?" asked Philip.
"Of course, I forgive you," replied Perry as a smile emerged.
Mother Pelican returned home shortly with some food. She watched the trio play and laugh as she sat and rested. Perry had not had this much fun before and didn’t want it to end. He was happy, but became lonely when he thought about his own family and his own siblings. He missed his family and Mother Pelican knew that he had to go home. Mother Pelican had secretly found Perry’s home when she went looking for food.
"Ok, everybody it’s time to say good bye," she said.
"Why?" asked Parter.
"Yeah, why can't he stay?” asked Philip.
"Perry must go home," said Mother Pelican.
"But why" said Parter.
"Because he belongs with his own family," said Mother Pelican as she saw Perry smiled and looked happy to go home.
They flew and finally landed on familiar grounds. Mother pelican hugged Perry penguin good-bye and soon Perry was left on a warm trail to his family. It was home to him and he liked it, just the way it was.The Bird That Couldn’t Fly
Ryan Keith Johnson
© Copy Right 2009
All Rights Reserved.
