Page 103 - Lavender-B-4

‘Wingless human beings all,

Your legs are useless things!

You may be big, you may be tall

But you each insect bites and stings.

Now look at me, small as can be,

I feed on insects, as you see.’

And he went on singing till he fell out of the nest. Down went Mother Sparrow

after him. And the cat — a big ginger one
with green eyes—there he was! Poodik
was frightened out of his feathers. He

spread his little wings and, trembling on
his small grey legs, twittered timidly:

‘Highly honoured to see you, I'm sure.’

But his mother pushed him aside and
with all her feathers ruffled up looked
very brave and terrible, her open beak

aimed straight at the cat’s eye.

‘Off you go!’ she cried. ‘Up on the
window, Poodik! Fly!...’

Fear lifted the little sparrow off the
ground. He took one jump, flapped his wings once and then again...and there he
was on the window ledge.

And after him came Mother. She had lost her tail but she was full of joy. She gave
him a good peck on the back of the head and said: ‘Well?’

‘Well, what?’ said Poodik. ‘You can’t learn everything at once!’

And the cat sat on the ground, picking Mother Sparrow’s feathers off his paw,

looked up at them and miaowed with regret:

‘Miaow! What a sweet little spar-r-riow! Just like a miaowse! Miaow!’

So it all came right in the end, that is, if we don’t count frightened: feeling afraid

the loss of Mummy’s tail. honoured: proud and happy
window ledge: a shelf
—Maxim Gorky below a window

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