Sonia
Eliashvili
Sonia
Eliashvili
On a summer day, when martins were flying up in the sky, the little martin Nilly got bored in his nest. He wondered how they all flied and decided to try himself.
He spread his wings like other martins do and jumped out of the nest.
But, instead of flying up he just fell on the ground. NIlly wasn’t hurt too much but he didn’t know how to get back to the nest and he began to cry. Suddenly, he heard a strange voice: “Hello, little martin, do you need help?“ It was a big scary cat and it was coming towards Nilly!
Instantly, a dog appeared from somewhere, barking loudly and chased the scary cat away.
“I just wanted to help!“ cried the Cat. “You rascal! Do you think I will believe you?!” growled the Dog.
When the Dog came back Nilly thanked him and told him his sad story. “Don’t worry, I’ll help you!“ said the Dog.
The Dog went to his best friend, the Crow, to ask her to teach Nilly to fly. “You know, I’m the greatest expert in this!“ said the Crow.
The first lesson began with explanation and Nilly was listening really carefully.
Next day they set to practice. The Dog stretsched a hammock. “Now, jump in and try to fly.� said the Crow Nilly tried several times but everytime he was falling into the hammock.
Then the Dog and the Crow pulled a rope which Nilly took by his beak. “This will help you understand better how to fly.“ explained the Crow. But neither this way worked.
“Never mind,“ said the Crow, “I have one more trick in mind which will work for sure.“ They tied Nilly to a balloon and lifted him in the air. But the balloon burst and the martin fell on the ground.
It seemed that none of the Crows’ flying lessons were successful.
The days passed and the little martin got really unhappy as he was thinking he would never learn how to fly. “I will never, never get back to my cosy nest and see other martins. I will never fly to warm countries with them...” thought he. Nilly’s friends really worried for him and didn’t know what to do more to help.
One day the Cat came to the Dog and the Crow. “I know how to teach Nilly to fly.” said he. “No, no! We don’t believe you! you’ll harm the poor little bird!“ said Nilly’s friends. “I promise not to!“ They had no choice but to agree and the Dog warned the Cat: “If anything bad happens you’ll have to deal with me!“
Nilly was plunged deeply in his sorrowful thoughts when the Cat approached him and suddenly jumped at him crying loudly:
“MEOWWWW!!!“
Nilly was so scared that he didn’t even notice how he spread his wings and flew up in the air. Only some minutes later when he finally opened his eyes he saw that he DID it!
And the Cat? The Cat appeared to be the best teacher of flying in the world!
Sonia Eliashvili Flying Lessons © Sonia Eliashvili 2015 © Virgam Virtual Publishers Tbilisi 2015 www.bookart.ge
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