She had a very big problem in her life. She could not fly. As morning came and all the birds flew into the sky looking for food, Sippy would hop from branch to branch feeding on small insects that lived on the tree. Often, she would have to go hungry if she could not find enough food on the tree. As she could not fly, she could not go far and wide searching for food like the other birds.
Piggy the pigeon was her friend.
Sometimes,though very rarely, Piggy would let Sippy ride on her back so that she could have sufficient food to eat.
One day it was raining very hard. When the rain stopped for a while, Sippy came out of her home. She hopped from branch to branch looking for worms and insects to eat. But alas, all of them had been washed away in the heavy rains. There was no food for Sippy. She searched every nook and corner of the tree but there was no food to be found. She thought she would have to go hungry for the day. Just then she saw her friend Piggy.
"Piggy dear, there is no food to be found on the tree. Will you please carry me on your back and take me elsewhere so that I can have some food?" asked Sippy
"I do want to help you, Sippy. But you have grown up. It is difficult for me to carry you and fly a long distance" said Piggy
"Oh, you dont have to go very far. Just take me to the fields nearby. I am sure I will find sufficient food there" said Sippy
"But it is high time you learned to fly, Sippy" said Piggy
"I know, Piggy. And I have tried a lot. But each time I jump in the air and try to fly, I fall down. I am afraid I will hurt myself" said Sippy
"Thats how all birds learn to fly. They fall down the first few times. But you need to keep trying until you succeed" said Piggy.
"Oh, I don't want to hurt myself. I'll try to manage like this as long as I can. Can we go now please? I am very hungry" said Sippy.
Piggy understood it was no use talking to Sippy. She just was not willing to try enough.
"Ok, hop on to my back" she said.
Sippy hopped on to Piggy's back and Piggy took off into the sky.
Dusty the eagle was soaring in the sky looking for some suitable prey. He saw Piggy and Sippy.
"Now that is what I call a curious sight. I have seen men riding on horses and monkeys riding on elephants but, I dare say, this is the first time I have seen a sparrow ride a pigeon" he thought.Then he thought some more "Now if I can catch both of them, I will have enough food for the rest of the day".
He swooped down towards the little birds.
Piggy saw Dusty flying towards them and realized they were in danger. She knew she had to fly fast to escape getting eaten by Dusty but it was difficult to do so with Sippy riding on her. She tried to fly with all her might but soon she was panting and puffing.
"Sippy, you need to get off my back and fly. Otherwise we both will get eaten by Dusty" said Piggy.
"Oh, Piggy, you know I can't fly. Please help me" cried Sippy.
"You have to help yourself. There is no other way now" said Piggy firmly and so saying, she tilted sideways so that Sippy slipped from her back.
"OH OH" cried Sippy flapping her wings desperately so that she did not fall down.
"I am sorry Sippy" said Piggy and flew away fast before Dusty could reach her.
Sippy turned to see Dusty coming close to her. She knew if she did not fly right then, she would either fall down and die or get eaten by Dusty.
Dusty was annoyed that the pigeon had escaped but the sparrow was still there and he could see it was struggling to fly.
"Ha! A bird that cannot fly! This is going to be an easy kill" he thought to himself.
Somehow Piggy had to save herself. She flapped and flapped but nothing happened. Then she tried really hard. She waved her wings up and down strongly, pushing the air behind her and lo! she was up in the air. Up, up and up she went. She flew as hard and and fast as her tiny wings would allow her and in no time, she was no where to be seen.
"Huh, where did the sparrow go?" Dusty scratched his head, bewildered at the bird's sudden flight.
Disappointed, he flew away looking for some other prey.
Sippy made her way to her tree. When she reached there she saw Piggy sitting on a branch weeping.
"Piggy!" Sippy called out.
Piggy could not believe her eyes. She was very sure Dusty would have eaten Sippy.
"Oh Sippy! I am so glad to see you are safe. And you can fly now!" said Piggy.
"Yes Piggy, I can fly now" said Sippy.
"I am so sorry I had to leave you and come" said Piggy.
"No problem, Piggy. If you hadn't left me, I certainly wouldn't have learnt to fly" said Sippy.
They hugged each other again happily.
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