Are You My Mother?

Once upon a time, there was a little bird in a nest. The nest was high up in a big oak tree. The little bird lived there with his mother.

One day, the mother bird said, "I must go find food for us. Stay in the nest. I will be back soon."

The little bird said, "Okay, Mom. I will wait for you."

The mother bird flew away. The little bird waited and waited. He got bored. He wanted to see the world outside the nest.

The little bird stood up. He looked over the edge of the nest. The ground looked very far away.

"I wonder what it's like down there," he said.

The little bird tried to fly. But he was too young. He did not know how yet. He fell out of the nest!

Down, down, down he went. He landed on the soft grass with a small thud.

The little bird was not hurt. But now he was lost. He looked around. Everything looked so big!

"Where is my mother?" he said. "I need to find her."

The little bird started to walk. Soon he saw a big brown animal eating grass.

"Are you my mother?" asked the little bird.

The cow looked down at him. "Moo! No, I am not your mother. I am a cow. Your mother is a bird like you."

"Oh," said the little bird. "Thank you."

He kept walking. Soon he saw a furry animal with a long tail.

"Are you my mother?" asked the little bird.

The cat looked at him. "Meow! No, I am not your mother. I am a cat. Your mother has wings and feathers."

"Oh," said the little bird. "Thank you."

He walked some more. He saw a big animal with floppy ears.

"Are you my mother?" asked the little bird.

The dog wagged his tail. "Woof! No, I am not your mother. I am a dog. Your mother can fly high in the sky."

"Oh," said the little bird. "Thank you."

The little bird kept looking. He was getting tired. He saw a small animal with a bushy tail.

"Are you my mother?" asked the little bird.

The squirrel twitched his nose. "No, I am not your mother. I am a squirrel. But I saw a bird fly that way. Maybe that's your mother!"

The squirrel pointed with his paw toward the big oak tree.

"Thank you!" said the little bird. He felt happy again.

The little bird walked toward the tree. It was the same tree where his nest was! But the tree was so tall. How could he get back up?

Just then, he heard a sound. "Tweet! Tweet!"

The little bird looked up. There was his mother! She was flying down from the tree.

"My baby!" said the mother bird. "I was so worried! Where were you?"

"I fell out of the nest," said the little bird. "I was looking for you. I asked a cow, a cat, a dog, and a squirrel. But none of them were you."

"Of course not," said his mother with a smile. "I am your mother. I am a bird, just like you."

The mother bird picked up her baby gently in her beak. She flew him back up to the nest.

"Next time, please stay in the nest until I come back," said the mother bird.

"I will, Mom," said the little bird. "I learned that there are many different animals in the world. But you are the only one who is my mother."

"That's right," said his mother. "And I will always come back to you."

The mother bird gave her baby some food. Then she tucked him in with her warm wing.

"Now it's time to sleep," she said softly.

The little bird felt safe and happy. He was back home with his mother.

"Good night, Mom," he said.

"Good night, my little one," said his mother.

And they both went to sleep in their cozy nest.