Robin's New Home

On a beautiful spring morning life appears everywhere. Trees sprout new bloom. Insects come out of hibernation. Baby animals are born. Birds reappear in the sky singing their happy songs. However, one bird is not flying around singing a happy song. In fact, he is hiding under a bush feeling very afraid. This is a story about Robin who lives his life as a bird just like any other bird, except, he cannot fly. And he cannot fly because he is too afraid to take wing and soar with the rest his breathren.

Poor Robin has been like this since he was a baby bird when he tried to explore out of the nest on his own and fell ten feet into the neighboring rosebush. Ever since that day, Robin has refused to go back up into that tree. You see, wee little Robin saw a squirrel eating a nut on the same branch where his nest was built. It gets boring in that nest with just his brothers and sisters that Robin was hoping he found a friend. He stepped out of the nest and walked along the branch. Oh, he was so excited. He's going to have someone to play games with. But, as Robin got closer to the squirrel it lifted its tail, turned, and ran down the tree trunk. Robin ran to follow only to lose his balance. He fell off the branch. As he watched the ground get closer he tried to copy what his parents did so often -- flap his wings. This didn't work. So, what can the little thing do? He closed his eyes, crossed his wings, and landed right in the middle of a thorny rosebush in full bloom. Ouch.

Robin walked out of the bush a little bit bruised and very much scraped. He was one lucky fowl. And, now he was afraid to go back up into that tree. No way was he going back up especially since he couldn't make his wings fly. What was he to do now? What about his family and their nest?

While Robin stayed there nursing his wounds and his pride his parents flew home. Wondering where their littlest baby went, his brothers and sisters told their parents about Robin's quest. However, they did not know he fell. They thought he learned how to fly and flew after the squirrel. It was then that they all heard a loud cry from below. Forming a circle with all their heads leant far out of the nest they saw Robin jumping up and down crying out to them for help.

His whole family flew down to help Robin. They tried to show him how to work his wings. He didn't want to learn how to use his wings. They offered to carry him back to the nest. No way was he going to let them carry him all the way up into the tree. Robin was more comfortable staying close to the ground. It turns out that the fall not only made Robin afraid of flying but, also, it made him afraid of heights.

So, his parents didn't really much of a choice. They built a new nest closer to the ground in a silky dogwood bush. This way all Robin had to do was hop into the nest instead of flying. It was a good idea and even though Robin loved his parents very much, he was not comfortable living in a bush. But he gave it a try. Unfortunately, it rained the night they slept there soaking and ruining the nest.

While everyone was drying off the next morning, they encountered three birds digging around for worms and other yummy bugs. Robin and his family met Sparrow, Crow, and Pigeon. After eating their breakfast, Robin, his parent and his new friends searched for a better and drier location. They tried a cornfield but the farmer's tractor driving through made it too dangerous. They tried underneath a flourishing maple tree. This seemed comfortable enough... until some stray cats tried to eat them.

That's when a grey dormouse whistled to capture the cat's attention causing the cat to chase the mouse instead of the birds. Once Mouse came back (feline-free) he helped everyone find the perfect home for Robin. Mouse, who knows every inch of the fields and parks, remembered an oak tree at the northern edge of a dog park. At the base of the oak tree is a large hole. It turns out the bottom of the tree has been hollowed out. What a great home for Robin and his family! With the help of Mouse, Sparrow, Crow, and Pigeon, Robin's family built a wooden door so they can have privacy and protection against bad weather and bad-tempered cats.

Now, Robin has a safe home free from rain, tractors, felines, and, most importantly, heights. And, when Robin grew up and was old enough to start his own life and his own family, his parents rebuilt that nest near the top of the very tree that Robin lives in.

**844 words**