Bird tales for Advent

Bird tales for Advent

Written by:

Piroska Mihalik
Nádasi-Ozsvár Andrea
Harami-Papp Hajni.

Translated by:

William Francis
Piroska Mihalik.

Reviewed by:
Orbán Zoltán,
contributor,
Bird Conservation Project, Hungary.
Editor-in-Chief, Madártávlat Magazine.
Bird Life, Hungary.

Day 1.

Once upon a time there was a tiny little cottage on the edge of Chirping Forest, by Tinkle Stream, in the shade of soft foliage. In the cottage lived a wise old lady known as Nana of the Birds.

It was bright and sunny, the rays of the sun just dancing on the morning dewdrops. Nana stepped out of the house and looked around anxiously.

“There are so few berries! There won't be enough food this winter – I have to do something! The birds must get used to being around the house before the frost sets in.”

She was walking back into the house for seeds when she saw a curious starling.

"Maybe you'll need some," she thought.

The starling is a sociable bird. She will attract her friends before retreating far from the cold of winter. Perhaps to North Africa, perhaps to Egypt. And then returning in the spring to the delight of Nana and children, covering all of Europe, including Ireland, as well as the faded trees of the forest of elves.

Ireland is full of huge pastures that promise little starlings delicious snacks. Although, vine growers are not happy when a flock of birds that strikes their vineyard, and protect their kitchen, gardens and orchards from them, Irish farmers are extremely grateful to these little birds, who eat all the pests in the soil.

Nana sprinkled some grapes on the garden table. Devouring the unexpected feed, the little starling said it tasted good, and began to chatter cheerfully with his tummy full.

“So you liked the grapes?” Nana Bird smiled.

Thanks to the starling’s amazing imitation ability, he is able to mimic all the sounds he hears in the area, from the chirping of a swallow and the melancholic song of a blackbird, to the call of a jay. And he can perform in most hilarious way.

After his concert finished, the starling said goodbye and flew to Chirping Forest. She would put a smile on Nana’s face again the next day.

Day 2.

Before the rays of the sun entered the cottage tucked away among the greenery of Chirping Forest, Nana Bird was already busy outside in the garden. It was a cool, fresh morning, one in which you'd shiver at first, but would like to dance to the rays of the sun. Suddenly, a soft sound – tiny wings fluttering – interrupted her thoughts.

“Oh, my little starling!” She smiled and pointed towards the dish on the table.

The bird slowly surveyed the area and when she felt safe, began to snack on the mouth-watering grapes eagerly. Nana walked carefully into her warm cottage and watched as the little bird's eating slowed. Then, as she ate, the morning concert began.

“This starling is a funny bird!” Nana thought cheerfully.

And indeed, the starling is really unique. She's lively, amusing and very smart. And thanks to her intelligence, she can easily discover when there is food nearby. By using her long beak, she scratches the ground, searching for something to eat.

Her coat is not ordinary, either. Her feathers are decorated in different colours depending on the season and her age.

As for her singing, it's really special! With her chirping and chattering, and the sounds she's learned, special melodies circulate, filling the environment and cheering the human soul. Maybe it's not just people who enjoy this. Maybe her music makes even the wildlife of the forest happy.

At times she stopped, waiting for a response. And then, when one came, inflating her feathers and getting more encouragement, she resumed her ringing-ringing-chirping-chirping singing until she felt she had chattered enough. It was time to look around the fields.

She glanced at Nana and, as if saying goodbye, whistled once, spread her beautiful wings and flew towards the fields to start her work. It is extremely beneficial. The starling knew this, so she flapped her wings, setting off in the direction of the fields and pastures.

Day 3.

On the third day, another guest arrived at Nana Bird's. A small robin ventured closer and closer. The good-natured Nana hurriedly chopped an apple, set it on the garden table, then slipped back into her cottage, letting the little creature eat undisturbed. The robin surveyed the area with her tiny button eyes, scratched twice, inflated her feathers, greeted Nana Bird, and tasted a piece of juicy fruit. In her tiny beak the delicious fruit crunched, as she carefully picked at the succulent bites. Sometimes she stopped, looked around, and when she was convinced that no one but Nana was nearby, continued snacking quietly.

In the spring, these little creatures don't like to share their space as they doesn't like the company of others during the breeding season. They protect their property, especially their home, where they are the boss, and make this clear to everyone. But there are no problems in the autumn. They can all have a treat together. Indeed, she quickly trust you. She accepts human company, soon getting used to being in captivity, and easily makes friends with you. She greets you with graceful movements and a solemn song, which is why people often choose her as a small pet.

However, our little robin isn't a pet. She lives in the wild in of one of the deciduous trees in Chirping Forest, and Nana's easily acquired delicacies are handy for her in autumn, as it's becoming more and more difficult to get food daily.

Robins are happy to move into earthly cavities, fissures, or even the roots of trees. Among the roots, however, there are many dangers lurking for small birds. Fortunately, they can find a higher abode for themselves.

But it's not only in Chirping Forest that we can meet our little friends. They also settle in parks, gardens or near streams. But watch out! If you left your teapot outdoors in the spring, a small robin might build a nest there. And the male will no longer be so shy. He'll aggressively attack any stranger who disturbs his residence. So if you leave one out, it's good to know that your pot may no longer be your rightful property from then on. What's more, these nests are easy to discover and our little birds can easily fall prey to egg thieves or naughty human children. So it's better to use your pot to make tea!

Oh, but we're talking too much! Robin's already full. She thanked Nana Bird for the delicacy and headed back to Chirping Forest.

Day 4.

As the tiny wings of the robin disappeared among the forest branches, a small group of starlings appeared with a cheerful chatter in Nana Bird's garden. Our little starling welcomed her friends to her newly discovered 'restaurant'. The small team approached eagerly – much more boldly than the robin – moving left and right, rushing towards the delicacy being served. With every little jump, their beautiful spotted feathers glistened in a different colour. The chicks searched for the next morsels which Nana Bird had carefully scattered over a large area so everyone would get some. She knew the birds well. She knew that the starling would sooner or later bring her family and friends to the feast as well.

In this way, a beautiful little starling dance began. The garden suddenly filled with little swaying dancers, like in a ballroom. As you look at them, you' wouldn't think that birds are direct descendants of the dinosaurs – when you see this starling dance, it's almost unbelievable that we have common ancestors.

As the little starling flock crouched, another robin who'd learned that it was easy to find food here appeared. So he quickly took the opportunity to discover whether this was true. So it was.

Delighted, he carefully began to peck at the tiny snacks left by the starlings. With his tiny black button eyes, he looked away after each beep, flashing a beautiful red breast, then leaped briskly to the next bite. Among the grey pebbles, his rust-red plume was like a burst of fire.

Smiling, Nana Bird realised she'd need more food the next day as her circle of friends was expanding. So off she went.

Day 5.

The next day, a new morning greeted the inhabitants of Chirping Forest. Even before the dawn, Nana Bird was busy in the garden and carefully prepared the basics for her birds. Her breath was a cloud of fog, swirling around her this cold morning, but she just worked and worked. She knew there wasn’t too much time left to prepare for winter. Storms were coming, although in Ireland the climate is usually milder.

"How can that be?" ask those sceptical people who've not yet been to Ireland. "Who has ever seen storms and mild winters? There is no such thing in the world."

But there is in Ireland! This is because the Gulf Stream brings warmth in winter, so the temperature fluctuation is smaller. Storms are how only a storm can be: cold, rainy, dry, more whimsical than an Irish storm. Yet our little birds love this fairytale world. Although some migrate to warm climates, many of our little friends stay here to sing in the Irish forests with their sweet melodies.

The legendary Irish forests are very unique. The trunks of the trees are covered with a soft, velvety moss blanket. Every tree in the woods is an individual. Branches of all sorts turn in different directions, reaching to the sky. They seem as if they were just stretching out in the morning, awakening and holding each other up.

However, many of them fall victim to deforestation. Who would have thought that many centuries ago, two-thirds of Ireland was covered with forests? Their towering trees looked proudly at their subjects. They gave protection to our little birds, their twisting branches playfully intertwining as if they were one, drawing strength from one another. Legends come to life among their foliage ... and you felt that suddenly one tiny little fairy would appear.

There are few forests in Ireland today. Although the soft lawns of the pastures contain fine food for our birds, this protective habitat has sadly dwindled over the years. But Nana Bird knows there are some benevolent forests still working to make the Irish fairytale world richer with new trees. What's more, a hermit lives in the woods, occasionally mingling with humans, urging people to take part in planting the forest. He's  so successful that more forests are rising in this little wonderful world -- much to the delight of our birds.

Day 6. 

The rays of the sun danced as they shone into Chirping Forest that morning, warming the lovely little wagtail who had just ventured into Nana Bird's garden. She wasn't attracted here by the carefully prepared “restaurant”. She had just come out of curiosity because she feeds on burrowing insects, not seeds or fruit. True to her name, she tipped her tail up and bounced back and forth boldly. She tasted a seed, but wasn't really interested in them. Nana Bird noticed her and quickly took a boiled egg from her own breakfast, cracking it open for the little creature. The small bird was happy to snack on the specialty on offer, pinching one bite after another.

The wagtail is an interesting bird. She's very shy, but if we aren't too loud and don't hurt her, she's easily encouraged -- so our little friend hopped around Nana's garden. She had her Autumn plumage, the characteristic black patch with a horseshoe shape on her throat, covered with white feathers -- as if even these feathers were approaching a soft snow cover.

It's not yet clear whether she'll have the strength to retreat south from the frost or will nest here in a warm attic, but we'll soon know. If she stays, we'll meet her again. The migrating wagtail needs a lot of food -- she has to be prepared for a long flight -- so Nana Bird diligently helps her to fill up.

When she'd eaten her fill, she started a charming little song. Than the wagtail tilted her tail a couple of times as if bowing in greeting, then spread her wings and quickly disappeared into the woods.

Day 7.

As soon as the wagtail  disappeared, two robins crept quietly into Nana Bird's garden. She would also host these little friends. Their tiny black button eyes gleamed against their fluffy red feathers, their bodies turning silver-grey as they approached, with brown wing feathers trembling in case they needed to make a quick escape.

If you look at them for a long time, their actions are hypnotic and your heart will race with every flutter. You can feel their tension.

They took one or two steps, examining the garden carefully, as if trying to work out whether they were in the right place or had maybe had got lost? They hadn't!

Nana Bird waited for them in the garden with the starlings. Like a playful army of children during a preschool break, they chatted as they picked at the kindly woman's seeds. They hopped here and there, picked something up, and then started a little dance, filling Chirping Forest with a great melody.

The little robin pair shifted shyly, tilting their heads left and right to spy on the company with  their tiny button eyes. But when they both realised these other birds weren't dangerous, they became bolder. They flew back into the noisy army and happily breakfasted on the divine food.

Nana Bird admired the symphony and, smiling, noticed that there were more and more starlings -- and the robins were becoming more and more courageous.

Life requires self-confidence.

Nana Bird smiled and began to prepare food for the next day.

Day 8.

The next morning, as the starlings chatted loudly and our little pair of robins picked at their food shyly, a crow appeared in Nana Bird's garden. Spreading his huge black wings, he towered terrifyingly over the tiny starlings. The robin flew away in alarm.  The starlings immediately fell silent and descended in a troop to the strong stone fence in Nana Bird's garden. The crow looked around proudly. Then, with his huge beak, began to pick up the food slowly. The little birds acknowledged the disappearance of each morsel with a sad sigh and watched longingly as the big black crow plundered their “restaurant”. Some got on the hanging net feeder, but as we know, they can’t all fit in there, so they fought, alternately chasing each other, fighting for every bite. The fearsome bird took no notice. He pecked slowly,  one seed after another disappearing into his huge belly, ignoring the longing gaze of our birds.

Nana Bird watched from the window. It had crossed her mind to attach a hanging bird feeder to the wall. She knew full well that if someone started feeding the little flock, they would have to provide enough food every day, otherwise the little birds might not have enough strength to fly to their next destination. She waited for the crow to fill himself, then chased this oversized bird away so that our little friends could get food, too. The  crow flew up to the fence, his fearsome body freezing the songs of our little singers in their throats in fear. With their tiny beaks, they picked up the remaining bites quickly, and in total silence. On this day they only greeted Nana Bird with a shy flapping of the wings. Today’s cheerful concert was absent.

After the birds had emptied Nana Bird's "restaurant", she sat down in her garden chair, worried. She thought and thought, racking her brains. She had to find some solution. Suddenly, an idea popped into her head: to make a bird feeder for the little songbirds. One that was small enough for them to fit in, but not big enough for a large bird. But how? She couldn't do it herself. Well ... she figured out what to do... 

Do you know what? I'll tell you tomorrow. :)

Day 9.

As Nana Bird thought about how she could make a bird feeder for her songbirds, she heard footsteps. She awoke from her deep contemplation and greeted Forest, the hermit, with great joy.

"Hi, Forest! You couldn't have come at a better time. What are you up to?"

"I'm just going for a walk."

"Tell me, would you like to make something for me?," Nana Bird asked.

"What is it, Nana Bird? What do you want to do?"

"I would do it myself, but I can't. I need a bird feeder. These naughty crows are eating all the food of the little songbirds. It'd be nice to have a feeder that's big enough for them to fit in, but too small for crows.

"I see ... ," Forest thought. "Where do you want that bird feeder?"

"This would be a good place," said Nana Bird, pointing.

"I see you've already planned everything. Let's just see what we can do."

He hurried over, singing cheerfully, and began to work on the wood that Nana Bird had prepared. The tool danced, his hands moving so fast while he worked. He even whistled. The wood crackled loudly under the flutter of the axe, the rough sound of the saw, and the rasp of the sand paper. In no time, the bird feeder was ready.

"Mmm ... ," said Nana Bird appreciatively. "You've done a great job! Thanks so much, Forest!"

Forest proudly fixed the feeder to the stone  wall, thinking how good an idea it'd been to go for a walk today. Nana Bird admired the feeder, filling it up with food so that our little birds could finally have a snack in peace.

Forest said goodbye and headed home.

Day 10.

This morning the sun was woken by the bird chirping. Stretching, the sun scattered its rays on the old deciduous trees of Chirping Forest, peeking into every tiny gap, and nourishing the undergrowth with its warmth. As it crept higher and higher in the sky, its life-giving rays spread more and more widely. In the sun, Nana Bird's newly-made bird feeder glinted with tiny gold spots. A friend of the woods, the Great Tit, was picking up the heavenly seeds. Nana Bird didn't dare move in case she scared the little bird.

The Tit diligently cleans the forest of all kinds of pests. It is easy to distinguish the hen, which is what females are called. A thin black band runs down her belly, while for the male, this black band widens on the belly and forms a dark abdominal spot. But be careful of getting in the way of this bird when she's hungry! Who would think that this tiny creature in such gorgeous colours is a fierce predator? She can even attack tiny birds when she's starving.

Nana Bird made sure the Tit had enough to eat so as to protect our tiny friends. She was right to get our little friends in there – her Great Tit was so hungry that she seemed to want to eat everything. As the bird fed, the starlings appeared. No longer as loud as before, not so brave, and in a smaller group. They looked around. The coast clear.

"Well, my little friends!"

Cheerful feasting started at Nana Bird's "restaurant". The “moving carpet” began. The birds chirped one-by-one, picked some morsels up, ran a little, then picked some more up, and ran again. They walked around Nana Bird's garden, constantly nibbling. Our little robin flew in shyly, disappearing between the snacking starlings.

Nana Bird looked out the window and smiled – the Tit was picking at the hanging net bird feeder, the starling was below, and on the ground, in the tall undergrowth, the shy robin was picking up the fallen bites. The rest will be good for him, too. He won't risk coming any closer.

"Now the flock is gathering," Nana Bird thought, and continued on with her business with a satisfied smile.

Day 11.

The next day, the world of Chirping Forest awoke to a slightly gloomy morning. Behind the curly, sometimes grey, sometimes foamy white clouds, the sun appeared from time to time, then snuggled back into the fluffy ruffles. However, a small cloud doesn’t discourage our little birds, they’re used to overcast Irish mornings. Anyone living in Ireland will quickly get used to the change. What's happening now may not remain so in a few minutes.  

The Irish say: if you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes. For in Ireland, you can have the four seasons in a few hours: the sun shines like spring, then it's warm like summer, then it rains or there's a sudden snowfall, as if wanting to cover the whole world in a huge blanket. Then suddenly in  a moment – whoosh! – the sun's shining again. If someone's called "as unpredictable as the Irish weather," then it’s better not to plan anything with them, my little friend. 

In Ireland, everything's like in a dream world – fabulous, clownish and very changeable. Everything's as elusive and volatile as if we were on a boat. But Nana Bird's different! She's as strong as a rock that you can always cling to. She does her job persistently, diligently. She's always taking care of things – all her thoughts revolve around making the little world around her better. She's like a Swiss watch – never late – you can always count on it. 

Even on this gloomy morning, she was working inside the house while our little friends feasted outside, when a sudden flutter of tiny wings reached her ears Then silence filled the garden. Curious, she peered out the window, wondering why the little birds had quietened down. Where were the starlings and the softly beeping robins that had been singing merrily a few moments ago? In fact, they were lining the stone fence in silence. 

Had the raven returned? Maybe he had frightened them again with his dark, oversized figure? She peered out the frost-covered window. Seeing no newcomer, she wrapped her spotted scarf around her, stepped out into the pale, early winter light, and looked around carefully. The familiar starling flock quietened, perked up slightly, and they called out again bravely. The frightened robins continued to feed cautiously. Nana Bird saw no trace of the raven, yet she felt a little strange – she could feel the weight of a pair of watching eyes. She scanned the garden again and suddenly saw the newcomers. A pretty black pair sat on top of the chimney. 

"Chimney sweep birds," thought Nana Bird and smiled. 

The two must have found there way here in the wake of the crow – they often keep each other company. The jackdaw pair, with their glossy, slate-grey feathers, light-grey eyes, and small, pointed, bluish-black beaks, looked from a distance like tiny crows. They threw themselves at the seeds scattered on the ground with a short, brave, but all the more vigorous, flight. Along the way, they even did a somersault in the air cheerfully. Oh what a majestic feast they had found! They immediately gave voice to their joy, snapping cheerfully, and chattering. On the ground with their tiny fast feet they pinched the food. They always stay close together – the two black birds – you can’t tell which one's the male and which is the female, but they are a couple forever. 

They left, but didn't go far, settling back on top of the chimney, and from there watched the chirping, feasting little songbirds. They were youngsters – croaking, stepping in. One of them ruffled their bluish-black feathers on a platter, inviting their partner to a little feathering together. It's an intimate relationship between two birds, but not everyone has this privilege.

Nana Bird retreated to her tiny house contentedly – her bird garden had expanded with another lovely couple. She knew full well that there were more where they'd come from.

Day 12.

Let’s peek into the woods on this gloomy morning. Just quietly! Don't frighten the inhabitants of the forest!

If you go little bit deeper, you'll find a large mossy tree, which has a small cottage built into its trunk, Nana Forest's little abode. She's a kind old lady, with a velvety voice and a charming smile. With one word, all the birds in the forest had gathered. She had organized a council for the residents of Chirping, where would discuss what to do about protecting the forest. Nana Forest stepped out of her hut and called out to her birds in her distinctive voice. Immediately the place was filled with the rustle of tiny wings. All the inhabitants of the forest gathered around her and  looked on in silence. Even Forest, the hermit, turned up.

"Welcome to the inhabitants of Chirping Forest!" Nana Forest greeted them.

"Good morning!" the birds chirped cheerfully.

"How are you, Forest?" Nana Forest asked.

"Long time no see. You so rarely venture out of your house that sometimes we don’t even know if you’re still with us. You should try to get out a little more often so we know everything is OK."

"Yesterday I carved a bird feeder for Nana Bird!" Forest retorted.

"So, it's you who's responsible for the beautiful bird feeder that had such delicious food this morning?" the robin asked shyly. "This is wonderful, Forest! Thank you so much!"

"Don't mention it!" said Forest, puffing himself up proudly.

"Forest, that's very kind of you! You did our birds a great favour. You know, the bird feeder is very important because if our big-bodied birds don’t fit in, the little ones will get food, too. However, there is a great need for our birds. Without birds, forests would be overrun with pests and it'd cause a lot of hardship on the ground as well.

"Our little birds work very hard in the fields and in the woods. They need to be helped to survive the winter."

"Well, be my guest!" Forest smiled.

''What I don't really understand is why Nana Bird doesn't chase away those ugly black crows? Wouldn't it be much easier? What on earth is going on with her?"

"Forest, the crow feeds on insects which you can find everywhere. Unfortunately, humans use insecticides on farms quite a lot. If there are no insects, they don’t know what to eat, poor things.

"And life is precious! Every thing, even crows! Humans are taking over more and more territory from themselves, at the expense of bird habitats. This makes it impossible for the natural world. Of course, Nana Bird is different! She'd never hurt our little friends, she'd always help them.

"Let's get this is over with so we can get back to work," said Nana Forest.
 
The birds, Forest and Nana Forest talked for a while, and then, when they'd finished, went back about their daily business.

"Have a nice day!" waved Nana Forest.

Day 13.

A wild night greeted the world of Chirping Forest. Angrily, furiously, the storm raged, its terrifying roar chasing the birds into a protective nook, some crevice, or the roots of old trees. The large branches moaned and groaning left and right – crackling, complaining with each strong gust of wind. Our little birds hid close to each other in fear, huddling in their protective nests, send waited for the the storm to pass.
 
In Ireland, strong storms often occur in autumn. Humans can be very funny. They give names to storms – the fearsome Ophelia, the whimsical Diana, the threatening Brian – and many more storms have been christened with names like these.

But the inhabitants of Chirping didn’t care what this one was called. A storm is a storm – awesome, deafening, destructive and raging. At last, the bows rocked their little inhabitants, calming their fears. In the morning, when the tumult had abated a little, some ventured out of their nests to see if everyone was okay. Everything seemed all right.  Nana Bird anxiously called our little friends together:

"Friends, I feel that this storm has not yet completely passed. Be vigilant because this Diana is unpredictable," she warned the little creatures.

"Our birds were pleased to  discover that Nana Bird’s 'restaurant,' though a, little battered by the storm, awaited them. As they landed on the fence, they were greeted by an amusing sight – the starlings were staring, totally soaked. They looked like you, little friend, after an evening bath. Their dripping feathers ruffled on their bodies, as if they were about to comb. But birds doesn't get really wet in the rain – their feathers are a natural heat insulator and they also protect their body from rain. Water drips from their feathers onto the roof tiles so they can survive storms dry.

This is a great blessing for our starlings, who foresters are trying to chase away. With a small number of them, there is no problem, but the droppings of a larger number can certainly cause trouble for the forest. But it doesn't matter to our little starlings – Chirping Village is nearby, full of soft trees. There is plenty of nesting space there as well. No one in the village minds them because they know how useful these little clowns are.

Day 14.

After the stormy night, our little wagtail was out looking for breakfast. It wasn't easy to find small insects in this cold. Oh, how he longed for the bright summer when there were just so many mosquitoes, dragonflies, and flies swarming around Chirping Forest.

On the way, he saw a garden, and checked to see if there was a morsel for him. He was picking some seeds spread on the ground, when a gust of wind blew a stray potato net, which landed on top of him. In fright, he began to flutter his small wings, flapping as hard as he could. But with that, he became more and more entangled until he couldn't move. He stopped, exhausted, thinking sadly, "I eat the pests that make human life bitter. I don't deserve this."

Helplessly, he stood there alone. Suddenly, he heard something from a tree branch above him.

"What's happened to you, dear cousin?" the raven asked, laughing.

"I'm tangled in this net," the little wagtail cried desperately.

 "Could you please help me instead of laughing? Or maybe you can't."

"Oh, can't I? I've already opened a packet of food and eaten everything. How hard could it be?"

He landed beside the stricken bird and began to free him from the captivity of the net with his chunky beak.

As soon as the small bird got free, he tried to flap his wings. But alas, his left one barely moved. He had probably got injured while struggling. The raven turned his head left and right, pondering what he could do, when an idea suddenly struck him.

"Wait here, I'll get something!"

What else could our poor little friend do? He waited patiently. The raven soon returned with a small scarf.

"Sit on the scarf! I'll hold the ends, then I'll take you to Nana Forest to see if she can help you.

"You haven't stolen that, have you, raven?" the wagtail asked suspiciously.

"I found it in Chirping!" the raven replied angrily. "Do you need help or not? Now jump onto the scarf!"

With the flutter the little bird obeyed. The raven picked it up and flew all the way to Chirping Forest. Nana Forest waved her magic wand, and the little bird's wings as good as new.

"Thank you, Nana Forest!" the bird chirped gratefully.

"You're very welcome!" Nana Forest smiled.

"And you, my little friend," she turned to the raven. , o

"On the edge of Chirping, you'll find food for yourself in Nana Bird's garden. There's plenty for everyone – you don't have to steal other people's."

From that day on, the raven and the wagtail became great friends and were regular guests in Nana Bird's garden.

Day 15.

As Nana Forest had predicted, Diana was an unpredictable storm. Our little birds couldn't relax, because all through the afternoon the thunderstorm raged and raged. It brought a torrent of rain. Our little birds barely managed to protect their nests and even the dense foliage suffered. The starlings living in the parks waited patiently for the end of the storm, the rain lashing against their tiny bodies. But they were determined to see when this would finally end. The wind just blew and blew, as if nature was angry and cleansing the whole world. Our little friends weren't looking at the tumultuous sky from the window of a warm room, but outdoors, in ridges or the chunky branches of trees swaying in the wind, waiting for Diana to finally blow out.

Eventually, towards dawn, the storm subsided. The rain drizzled, Chirping slowly quietened. And then, when the rain finally stopped, a few rays of sunshine strayed into the world of Chirping and Nana Bird's garden. After Nana Forest had made sure that everyone was safe, she let her birds go to live well at Nana Bird's 'restaurant'. Our little friends were already waiting for her set table, so they could have plenty of snacks with the raven, the wagtail, the starling, the robin, the small sparrows, and even the crows.

Let's talk about the house sparrow. How is it that we only think of his dull colour that's so bland and grey we hardly notice him? Yet as the saying goes: "How many steps does a sparrow take a year?" None, because he always hops.

The house sparrow is an extremely sociable, ingenious and adaptable bird, well worth our attention. He's not picky and his diet contains almost everything – seeds, insects, arthropods, berries and buds. It isn't possible to list everything. Thanks to his adaptation and social skills, he lives in harmony with humans as well as any other bird species, forming flocks of all kinds and feeding with them. It's due to his friendly nature that this sparrow is so common.

We humans can learn a lot from the charm, flexibility and adaptability of this little creature. We must learn to live in harmony, without offending one another. This little sparrow 'grey' sparrow (although it's said he's grey, actually he isn't) undoubtedly possesses great wisdom. If you see one around you, listen and learn from him! He'll certainly teach you a lot of important things.

Day 16.

After Diana finally blew out, a ray of sunshine strayed into Nana Bird's garden, curious about whether our friends were becoming more and more comfortable with the presence of the crow every day and slowly getting used to sharing Nana Bird’s delicious snacks with the giant bird.

The crow is an interesting creature – many people don't like him. But Nana Bird knows that this bird is extremely important – the work of the crow is invaluable to the lives of farmers! For example, anyone who's house is surrounded by mice is extremely grateful to the crow, because if there's one nearby, they won't be there long. In addition, he's one of the greatest consumers of insects harmful to agriculture and the only bird that tirelessly and diligently scrapes the withering grain, corn and sugar beet seedlings, cleansing the land of this waste. Any farmer who chases the crow away will regret it! He'll have a difficult time because lots of harmful insects will multiply on his land, destroying the cereals he's spent time planting. After a couple of years like this, he'll be extremely grateful when a crow lands on his property, and the bird will find rich pickings. What's more, a good farmer knows that it's better to plant deeply so as to avoid the crow's large beak. However, the bird carefully removes any pest harming a yellowing seedling. After the grain harvest, delicious fresh bread and cornflakes are the reward, but it's good to know that even these delicious cereals are only on your table thanks to crows.

So, maybe the crow's call is not so ugly after all, and it's good that Nana Bird doesn't chase this bird away, but leaves him to his work. Now that he's already so welcome, more and more crows are venturing into his “restaurant” curiously and fighting with each other over the delicious snacks. Such a racket! The other little birds are scared by this din. But anyone who wants to eat has to put up with this minor inconvenience.

Anyway, as soon as they are full, the crows will fly away, and then the starlings can chase each other, chirping until they're full, too.

Day 17.

It was getting colder every day in the world of Chirping. Deeper and deeper it went, the freezing mornings penetrating our tiny birds to the bone. Our little creatures became more and more agitated with the great hustle and bustle in the village. Even Nana Bird was in a hurry – she was turning the house upside down, decorating it, and making it glitter with bright ornaments in the window. The starlings also behaved more and more erratically, becoming more and more irritated. The robin just watched them in silence, not understanding what was wrong with these normally cheerful birds that were constantly quarreling. What could be the matter with them? They chased each other away from the bird feeder, arguing as if they were strangers. Our little robin stared in polite silence, stuffing his belly. Who knew what else was coming? If the world ended, at least he'd go to heaven with a full stomach. Still, he increasingly wondered what on earth could have happened in a world where everything had got so different all of a sudden? The hustle and bustle of the people, the diligence of Nana Bird, the contentious mood of the starlings, this change was too much – something was wrong here.

Suddenly a robin from the village appeared.

"No, no! Where are you going, brother?"

"Oh, if you could. The village has changed so much that I'm too discouraged to sing."

"I've also noticed that something's wrong, but what could be the reason?"

"I don't know, but if it goes on like this, I'll move out of the village. It's just unbearable. People are constantly coming and going. Everything's so loud  I’m getting tired of it all."

"Well! This is really weird! I know, let's ask Nana Forest!"

A few wing flaps later and they were knocking on Nana Forest's gate with their tiny beaks. As she stepped out of her little cottage, the birds chirped in anxiety:

"Nana, Nana, there's something wrong with the world!"

'What's wrong, Robin? What's happened?"

"I don't know what might have happened, but people are in such a rush. Everyone's coming and  going buying things. Nana Bird's decorating the house and, most strangely, the starlings have changed. They quarrel non-stop, behaving so unusually."

"And the lights, oh, those lights!" added the other robin.

"Oh, I see!" said Nana Forest. "Christmas! In the world of people, Christmas is a big holiday. They clean everything, decorate their houses, they're waiting for this big event."

"But why's it so bright? I can't sleep. I don’t even know whether it’s night or day anymore. I’m stalking all the time. I’m completely exhausted. Nana, how long does this terrible situation last?

"Oh, poor you! The light pollution."

"You know what?" she said suddenly. "There's a small tree next door. Do you want to move there?"

"Nana Forest, that's perfect! I'll just go and get my partner. Thank you, thank you! he chirped cheerfully and flew into the village. He'd finally find peace with his partner in Chirping Forest.

Day 18.

On this chilly morning, Nana Bird gathered branches in the fireplace to heat her little hut and she collected some frosty rosehips from the bushes.

"These will make delicious tea!" she thought. Even our little friends will get some."
 
She stepped carefully on the withered leaves beneath her feet so as not to wake the inhabitants of the forest. No matter how hard she tried, she still managed to scare one suspicious, crouching creature

"Well, you poor fellow, what are you doing here?" Nana Bird wondered.

On a chunky branch of an old, spacious tree a peacock perched. His long tail feathers almost reached the ground, his cute, opaque blue neck feathers gleaming in the dim winter light. But his feather crest, which was usually erect at the top of his head, now drooped, discouraged and white in the frost. He was shivering in the cold, visibly numb from the night. His usual loud squeal was gone – he just watched in silence.

Nana Bird opened the sack of kindling on her back, dug out a handful of seeds, and handed them to the peacock, who first stared at her suspiciously and then gratefully accepted them. He ate a little, but looked very weak. He slowly slid closer, sensing Nana Bird's infinite goodness and care, and letting her touch him. Carefully, she spread her warm shawl over him and lifted the heavy animal off the branch. Although, as a proud bird, the peacock would normally have protested, he was so cold that he didn't have the energy to struggle. His plumage is for warmer climates.  

Nana Bird quickly hurried home with her patient, took him into the house and placed him on a warm blanket by the fireplace. She brought him fresh water, a little seed, and some small-grained fruit. Then she left the exhausted animal alone to recover.

As Nana Bird filled the feeder for our little friends, she wondered why this exotic bird might have come here. The peacock isn't native to Ireland – India is far better for him. However, there was a park nearby, and she remembered  seeing seen peacocks when used to go there. Maybe the storm had swept him here and he couldn’t find his way back. No matter, he could stay in the warmth for now, getting strong, and when he could strut proudly again, she'd return him to the park.

Day 19.

'This bird is so much trouble to me!' Nana Bird grumbled the next morning. The peacock, as he gained strength, began to "rearrange" her neat little house. He explored everything carefully, tapping it with his beak. As he “examined” Nana Bird's teapot, it smashed to pieces with a loud crash, which scared him into the closet in fright. His large tail caught  everything around him, bringing it crashing down. He cowered in the corner.

Nana sighed resignedly and went out into the garden to fill the bird feeders with seeds. Once the smell of fresh air reached him, the peacock followed. He walked proudly like a king, turning a circle, with his crest swinging right and left. He tilted his long purple/blue-feathered neck back and forth at each step. He seemed to like Nana Bird's Garden.

'Would you rather stay outside? she asked and went back into the house. After a few seconds, she heard a loud noise. She hurried into the garden. And what did she see? Our little friends had just started to feast in her garden when the peacock informed them in no uncertain terms that he certainly wasn't interested in seeing them. Stopping in the centre of the garden, he shook and spread his ornate tail feathers as if to show only the eye-shaped drawing at their end, and in this way rotated slowly, indicating: here I am, I'm royalty. As he screeched, he opened his huge beak so wide that his entire throat could be clearly seen. In an instant, this beautiful bird had turned into an awesome giant monster. Our little songbirds, even the large crow perched on the stone fence, stiffened in fear.

"Oh, peacock! Don't you know that our little songbirds need food too? I think I'll be forced to return what the wind has brought us, because it's better to take you back to where you came from." As she said that, Nana Forest appeared in her garden.

"Nana Bird, I see you're very annoyed!"

"Don't talk to me, Nana Forest! This unruly peacock is being naughty here in my garden and chasing away the little songbirds. What on earth am I going to do about it?

"You know what? I have a peacock-luring whistle. Take him to the nearby park, I think he may have come from there."

"Do you think he can fly there? Peacocks only flies short distances."

"I'm sure he can. If we stop to rest a few times, we can still get there by evening."

Nana Forest smiled, blew her whistle and soon the peacock followed.

In a short time, they'd disappeared out of sight.

Day 20.

After every harvest, Nana Bird carefully collected plenty of wheat, barley, millet and sunflower seeds, as well as putting quince, autumn apples and pears aside for the winter to always have plenty of food for her little guests. She stored the seeds and fruit in a linen bag in the attic of her small house and tied them with strong string. Next to the chimney, the gourmet snacks don't freeze, but it was cool enough to preserve them until the end of winter. She only kept enough in her pantry for a few days and when she ran out, she'd replace them from the store in the attic.  

Now that the peacock was no longer bothering her, Nana Bird decided to go to check her fare. As she entered, blurred streaks of light filled with dancing dust particles filtered between the tile slats. In the dimness, as she lifted the sack of sunflower seeds resting on the chimney, she noticed a few scattered on the ground. Examining the bag thoroughly, she saw a tiny tear in the corner. But not just any rupture –  this bag must have been chewed by something!

"Naughty mice!" sighed Nana Bird. "They come here every year."

No matter how hard Nana Bird tried, these little creatures could smell the food and invade the stock. Nana Bird didn’t begrudge the food to such hungry mouths, but unfortunately these mice didn’t help feed our songbirds. No matter how charming the little creatures were, she wasn’t happy, as this hoard had to last until spring.

"Those useless crows! How come the mice weren't caught?" Nana Bird muttered to herself, tying the knot in the bag, lifting her basket and climbing down the ladder.

She wondered how she could ward off these greedy mice. She really didn’t want to hurt them, but if they stayed around the house, there wouldn't be enough food for our little friends, and the winter had only just begun. She mulled this over all day.

Suddenly, as the sun set, she had an idea. She should call a barn owl for help. He'd venture into the attic. A pair nested in Chirping Forest – in the quiet of the night you could clearly hear their calls even from Nana Bird's house. They flew so fast you could hardly hear or see them, though one was a unique sight, with his heart-shaped “face,” his soft crown with beautiful, delicately speckled feathers. Nana Bird decided to ask Forest to look for the owl in the woods, and ask him to visit her attic – but not too get used to doing so because in the end, he'd even attack our little birds. He should just disturb the calm feasting of the mice to see if they'd run away from her attic.

Day 21.

In the early afternoon, Nana Forest called a meeting of the forest inhabitants. Our little birds appeared in curiosity at her gate, wondering what might have happened.

"My friends, there's a little problem! Our food is in danger! We have to help Nana Bird! Has anyone seen the owl lately?

"Oh, I hope he's not around!" cried the startled little Robin.

"The owl sleeps during the day – you don't have to worry, Robin!"

"Forest, didn't you see him one night?"

"Me? Unfortunately, no, I didn't," the hermit replied.

"Forest!" interrupted Nana Forest impatiently, "it's very important to find the Barn Owl! Will you help?"

"All right, all right!" Forest murmured under his red moustache. "I'll try to figure something out tonight. When the cold comes, it'll be better for him in Nana Bird's warm house."

"All right, Forest, I knew I could count on you. Thank you!"

"Nana Forest, when will you tell us about Christmas?" Robin begged. "If it's causing such a stir, it must be very interesting."

"Robin, don't be naughty! I'm too busy at the moment. But you know what, let's meet in a few days and I'll tell you everything, okay?"

"Oh, Nana Forest, that's wonderful."

"And now I must say goodbye to you – I have a lot to do. Good night!"

"Good night, Nana Forest! our little birds chirped and flew to the protection of their nests with their tiny wings.

Nana Bird fell into bed wearily after this busy day. The peacock, mice – so many things at once! It was too much! I'll sleep well tonight. Tomorrow will another day, and then I'll think about what to eat. She pulled up her blanket and fell asleep slowly. In this silence, an almost inaudible rustle of nestless wings joined Nana Bird's peaceful breaths.

Day 22

There was silence in the world of Chirping. From the village, too, only the lights showed its existence. Everything else melted into the darkness of the night. The barn owl flew noiselessly into Nana Bird's chimney. He stood motionless for a moment, then looked around carefully. His freezing body appreciated the warmth of the attic. Unlike other owls, the barn owl doesn't hoot – he makes a snorting sound. However, as our owl bathed in the warmth of the attic, he didn't make a sound. Why would he? All that does is distract from the night hunt. The barn owl is the master of silence – his wings seem to have been created by the heavens just to fly as the quietest of birds. Only he can boast such special wings: they are sharply curved – their feather tips are particularly finely crafted – and thanks to their silky surface, the sound of friction is also minimised. His rich, soft, dense plumage absorbs even this slight noise, allowing him to fly almost totally silently.

Our tiny mice fled over and back – they had no idea which hole they were burrowing into. It seemed our little birds' food had an excellent guardian.

The barn owl flew out of the chimney to tell his mate not to worry – they'd just found accommodation for the winter.

When the waking sun lured our songbirds from their protecting trees, our little friends’ first trip was to Nana Bird's 'restaurant'. The loud voice of the starlings filled her garden. In turn, they were joined by a small group of house sparrows, the robin, and the Great Tit. Then the wagtail also wandered by for a snack before our friend the crow and the raven pair came along.

Nana Bird carefully cleaned and decorated her little cottage and baked some gingerbread. Inside and outside were a hive of activity. She looked out the window and happiness filled her heart.

"How wonderful it is to have these little creatures snacking here in my garden. They have all grown so close to my heart!"

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the hermit.

"Oh Forest, it's good to be here!" Nana Bird said happily. "Can you help me? I want to bring a Christmas tree into the house tomorrow – I want to decorate it."

"Are you making me work again, Nana Bird?" he groaned.

"Oh, you, Forest! Is this such a big request from an old woman?"

"All right, all right! I'll be here early tomorrow morning!" he replied reluctantly.

"See you tomorrow!" Nana Bird watched him leave with a gentle smile and returned to her mountain of tasks.

Day 23

As Forest had promised, he set off early in the morning for Nana Bird's cottage to help fetch and set up the Christmas tree. She was already carrying her small pine  on her way home. Forest snatched it from her hand like a twig, threw it over his shoulder and carried it into the house singing merrily. When they arrived, the hermit carved the base and placed the tree in the stand.

With a satisfied sigh, Nana Bird admired this evergreen tree, which is a symbol of eternal life. In front of her she saw at its apex the star, which is the symbol of the Star of Bethlehem, and the angels, who brought the good news of the birth of  Jesus to the people, the ornamental globes symbolising completeness. She made decorations for the tree every year so she could create a different Christmas tree in the living room every year. As she marvelled, Forest's voice reached her ear. He was just grumbling that the Barn Owl was finally moving out of the woods, but it was good that Nana Bird's attic was closeby.

"Forest, what's wrong with you?" Nana Bird asked.

"I hate that sharp screaming sound."

"Forest, did you know  that the barn owl is a protected species?" Due to the harmful lifestyle of humans, these useful birds have been greatly depleted in number. I am extremely glad that my attic provides shelter for him. You see, it will even benefit Chirping Forest."

He looked out the window and fell silent.
"Oh, Forest, don't move! she whispered softly. "Look! A greenfinch has mixed with the sparrows. In all our work, we didn’t even notice that our little friends were already feasting.

"Yes, I've seen him! He wandered here from somewhere and just goes from one tree to another in the little windmill," the hermit growled.

- Oh, did you know, Forest? Well this little bird is beautiful! Look, although he has a short little beak, it is very strong – perfect for picking up seeds. Don't go anywhere else! You can remove the weeds from my garden in the spring. There's a pine tree here at the end of the garden – maybe you can find a home on it. But it would be nice to have a diligent greenfinch in my little garden It seems that his feathers are no longer young, beautiful yellow-green.

"I don't care if they're green or brown, I'll chase them all away!" the hermit growled.

"What's wrong, Forest? You're very grumpy this morning."

"Hm… You're right, Nana Bird! I'd rather stop grumbling now. And as if he wasn't there, he left for Chirp Forest.

Day 24.

As the hermit entered the forest, he noticed a call from Nana Forest.
 
"What on earth's happened now?" he thought, and walked over to her place.

"We're having a wonderful day, aren't we?" Nana Forest began with a smile.

"Robin, as I promised, I'll tell you what this big uproar is all about."

"Oh, good, Nana Forest, I'm very curious!" Robin peeped.

"So are we," the others chirped.

"Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus. Mary and Joseph, the parents of Jesus, travelled from Nazareth to Bethlehem for a census. Unfortunately they could not find accommodation for the night -- they could only stay in the barn of one of the inns. Baby Jesus was born in that barn.

"The little baby we see in so many windows was born in a small barn? You can find that in many houses. Is that baby Jesus?"

"Yes. People have Nativity scene to remember Jesus's birthday. You can see it in their windows.

"But why is this Jesus so important?" Robin asked. "Everyone's celebrating him."

"Jesus taught people very important things – humility, love, gentleness. These are very important human values.

"What is humility?" Robin asked.

“Humility is when I devote myself to a noble cause."

"But why is this important? It's not good to be weak – the small birds are eaten by the big ones."

"In the human world it works differently. Moral virtue makes someone great. People remember 'great people' for a long, long time.

"Who are the 'great people,' Nana Forest?"

"Those who've followed their faith and vocation – who've served mankind and the world with all their deeds."

"Was Jesus humble?" Robin asked.

"More humble than anyone. He set an example with his deep love and humility.  Ignoring his suffering, he was at the service of the people. His teachings have survived for more than two thousand years."

"But what good is humility and love?" Robin asked.

"Robin, the people who help us, nurture our injured friends, build nests and feeders in their gardens, scatter seeds for our little birds in winter, those people all do so with humility and love, accepting the greatness of God's creation and helping us. This love and humility was learned from Jesus, whose birthday is celebrated at Christmas."

"Does Nana Bird have these beautiful human qualities?"

"She's one of the most humble people I've ever seen in my life,"  Nana Forest replied lovingly.

"Is that why she gives us delicious snacks every winter?"

"Yes, Robin! She knows that those who are in need must always be protected and helped. If it's in summer, then it's in summer. If it's in winter, then it's in winter. We need nutritious food in winter, so she diligently distributes it to let us get through the cold period."

"Well then Happy Birthday to little Jesus! If we owe this much goodness to Him, let's celebrate, too!"

"How about we do a concert for Nana Bird before dark?"

"Well, that's a wonderful idea, Nana Forest!" the birds replied enthusiastically.

Nana Bird was admiring the splendour of the Christmas tree she'd just decorated when she heard a sudden rustle of tiny wings. She looked out the window carefully. The sun was slowly sinking in the sky, its rays painting the sky red. In this wonderful evening light, all the birds of Chirping sang from Nana Bird's stone fence, their voices merging into a wonderful chorus. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the stunning Christmas concert. Our little songbirds just sang and sang while the last rays of the sun illuminated her garden. Then they fell silent.

"Happy birthday, Jesus!" Nana Bird sighed happily as the wings of our final little friend disappeared.

END.