Aniela Cholewińska-Szkolik
Linden Clinic Vet
illustrated by: Agnieszka Filipowska
Have you already met Misia? She is a happy seven-year-old girl who lives in a small town with her parents and her beloved doggie Poppy. Her hair is red, her eyes are full of joy, and you can count a dozen of freckles on her face. What does she like? Misia loves strawberries and foamy cacao, she also likes to pick colourful leaves, watercolour painting and reading stories about her favourite character – Doctor Doolittle, who could understand animals’ language. Misia spends most of her time in the garden. She has her secrets there… A few years ago her dad built a small treehouse on the branches of an old linden. It is not a typical treehouse to play in. It is the place where Misia has her clinic. A real clinic for animals. She helps sick birds, squirrels, hedgehogs and other animals in need. The girl always knows what is wrong with her patients because she knows their language… but hush! It’s a secret! No one knows about it apart from grandpa Ted, who is a vet, and Poppy. And of course all those animals who can always count on doctor Misia.
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THE UNFORTUNATE FALL The autumn sun was curiously peeking through the window at the attic. Since Misia was not in the garden, she had to be in her room doing something interesting. And indeed, she was sitting at her desk painting and happily humming. When she finished the last verse she brushed away her copper-coloured fringe which always covered her eyes and she took
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a good look at her work. The signboard was almost ready. Misia had to write down two more letter to complete the sign. On the yellow plank were big letters: LINDEN CLINIC OF DOCTOR MIS… Two more letters and it will be ready! Misia dipped her brush in beautiful, purple paint when she heard loud barking, the sound of tiny feet and voice of her mom: ‘Poppy, stay, your paws are dirty!’ Poppy just put his white tail between his legs and rushed into the girls room. He carried an important message, there were no time to lose. In a situation like this all this mud was unimportant. .Misia put down her brush and looked at her friend. Poppy started barking, spinning around her legs. ‘Under the apple tree? In the corner of the garden?’, Misia asked Poppy, and when he barked, she quickly got up. ‘Let’s go before that cat comes back.’ The girl grabbed her coat, waved to Mom and went outside. Poppy was leading the way. After a brief moment Misia realised that something was wrong. Under the old apple tree was a flock of sparrows screeching. Birds were hovering just above the ground, they kept landing and rising up again. They weren’t scared of the little girl, they just started twe-
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eting even louder an kept nervously moving their wings. ‘Quiet!’, said Misia. ‘Stop yelling, because I can’t understand a thing. And give me some space, I need to see him.’ ‘Woof, woof ’, Poppy barked at the sparrows.
Birds looked at the girl and then, one by one, they landed on the branches. Then Misia spotted it. A tiny sparrow helplessly tried to fly away, but it couldn’t. It had a wound on its right wing, wet feathers and sad, scared eyes. It was trembling among the withered leaves. The girl kneeled next to the bird. ‘I am doctor Misia’, she introduced herself. ‘I would like to help you, but I must take you to my clinic first. I will examine your wing there, and you will get warm and dry. There is not much sunlight under this apple tree and it’s not safe here.‘ The girl looked at a cat, which for quite some time now had been 8
walking on the other side of the fence. The scared sparrow followed the girl with its eyes and then looked at its friends. ‘Tweet, tweet’, birds said while nodding their heads. Misia gently raised the wounded bird from the ground. ‘Don’t be scared’ she gently patted it on its head. ‘It’s not that far, and your friend can fly with us.’ What is Misia up to again? Her Mom was wondering while watching her through the kitchen window. The girl, surrounded by a flock of sparrows, disappeared between the branches of an old linden. ‘We’re almost there’ Misia tried to calm down the wriggling sparrow and she started to climb up the old plank. It led to
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a small wooden treehouse. Poppy was at the door, waiting impatiently. ‘You guys stay here for now’, the girl said to the sparrows. ‘Once the examination is over, I will come back and tell you how your friend is.’ The birds obediently landed on the branches and turned their beaks towards the warm, autumn sun. Misia and Poppy went inside. At the first glance the treehouse hidden among the branches looked inconspicuously. Just an ordinary, small hut, build to rest inside or hide from something. Not for long of course - after all, what can you do in an empty room? But Misia’s hut was not empty. There was a small desk just under the widow, and next to the desk there was a table for conducting examinations. There was a chest of drawers by the wall each drawer was different size, and just above there was a shelf full of books. Everything was neat and clean. A comfortable armchair was standing in the corner and there was a colorful carpet in the middle of the hut. You could spend here not just a few pleasant moments, but also long, wonderful hours, watching the beautiful garden through the window. But Misia had no time for that. She gently put the little sparrow on the table, she took of her coat and she took out a stethoscope. She put one end of the stethoscope to the bird’s belly. ‘It’s ok’, she said. ‘Now let me take a look at your wound. Poppy, please pass me the magnifying glass.’ Doggy got up and rushed towards the chest of drawers. He pulled a handle using his teeth and after a brief moment he had the necessary tool. The girl took a closer look at the bird’s wounded wing. ‘You don’t have to worry, it’s nothing serious’, she smiled at her little patient. ‘It is but a scratch. I will have to remove the thorns. You got 10
scratched by a rose while you were falling, didn’t you?’ The bird nodded. ‘I just don’t understand why you fell…’ Misia took tweezers from Poppy and started to remove the thorns. The sparrow tweeted quietly. ‘That cat was already on the tree?’ the girl was listening to the bird’s story with attention. ‘No wonder you fell. Luckily, the wing is not broken. You just hit it hard. You will stay here for the night, the pain should stop and then you will be able to move your wing again. Have you eaten anything today?’ The sparrow shook its head. ‘I thought so’ said Misia an put the stethoscope back into her pocket. ‘We will fix that right away. You must eat to regain your strength.’ The girl opened one of the drawers and pulled out a pack of sunflower seeds. She put a few of them on a little saucer and she poured some water onto the second one. The bird was eating happily and Misia set it up a comfy bed under the window - a cardboard box filled with soft fabric. ‘You will sleep here’, she decided. ‘Your feathers will dry and you should feel much better when you wake up. Let’s go Poppy, goodnight.’ Misia got her coat, waved the sparrow goodbye and closed the 12
clinic’s door. ‘Everything is all right’, she said to sparrows which had been restless for quite some time and they kept curiously peeking through the window. ‘Your friend will stay with me until tomorrow, it can’t fly yet. Once it rests and gets better, it should be able to return to its nest. Now fly away and let it rest. You are making a lot of noise!’ Sparrows encircled the old linden a few times, but when they noticed their friend is sleeping soundly, they flew away to a distant part
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of the garden. ‘What were you doing all that time, Misia?’ her Mom asked when the girl entered the house. ‘I had to take care of a wounded sparrow’, said Misia. ‘It fell on the ground because some homeless cat hit it with the paw. Luckily, Poppy was in the garden and managed to scare that cat away.’ Misia patted Poppy on his head. ‘Hmm…’ Mom sighed. ‘And how is it feeling now?’ ‘Much better’, Misia answered. She wanted to add something, but she noticed that Mom did not believe her entirely. Well, yes, Mom is wonderful, she is the best in the whole wide world, but she never believes her stories about animals. Both she and Dad think that running a clinic is just some fun. Only grandpa Ted, who is a veterinary, understands Misia. But that’s ok! It’s important that she can help animals! Misia kissed her Mom and 14
sprinted to her room to finish the sign. She must put her name above the clinic’s door - that’s what grandpa said. Poppy rushed after her. ‘Don’t you even dare!’ This time mom was faster and she blocked his way. ‘I just finished cleaning the floor. You must wait until you paws are dry.’ The dog sadly dropped his head and lied down by the door. Fortunately, Misia managed to show him a secret sign - two fingers pointing down - which meant: I’ll be waiting, please come over as soon as you can. The next morning Misia got up quickly once the sun peeked through her window. ‘Come on, Poppy! We need to see our patient - she said and grabbed her new sign. Luckily, the parents were still sleeping. Misia put on an orange coat on her pyjamas and quietly walked into the garden. Just a few moments later they opened the Linden Clinic’s door.’ The little sparrow greeted them happily. It had not been sleeping for a while now and was anxious to see them. It rapidly moved its wings and easily reached the ceiling. ‘That’s wonderful!’ Misia was glad. ‘I can see that you are feeling
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better after you rested. Let me invite you for breakfast!’ But the bird looked at the door with sadness and tweeted. ‘I see’, Misia smiled with compassion. ‘You want to return to your friends as quickly as possible. Ok then, fly!’ she said and opened the door wide. ‘Just be careful!’ The sparrow tweeted happily and flew away towards the apple tree. Misia checked if it returned safely to its nest and then quickly hang the new sign above the doors. ‘THE LINDEN CLINIC OF DOCTOR MISIA’ she read it out loud. ‘I like it! Do you, Poppy?’
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The doggy barked happily, jumped a few times and licked Misia’s hand. ‘You are awesome too!’ the girl said and patted her friend on his white head. ‘You did great yesterday. If it hadn’t been for your alertness, we might not have been able to help our little friend. I am sure that grandpa Ted will be proud of you!’ The next day grandpa paid Misia a visit. She grabbed his hand and led him into the garden. ‘You have to see it, grandpa’ she said leading, him towards the old linden. Poppy was running along, barking happily. ‘Over there! Look!’ she pointed at her new sign. ‘Well, well!’ Grandpa nodded his head with appreciation and twisted his grey moustache. ‘That’s a real clinic! Now every patient will know they can get help here.’ The elderly man had just finished the sentence, when they could hear loud, joyful chirps all over and a small sparrow with a pink flower in its beak flew from yellow leaves. The bird dropped the flower on Misia’s hand and flew away.
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‘Thank you. I am glad that you are feeling fine now!’ Misia said to the sparrow. ‘That was my latest patient’ she explained to the grey-haired gentleman who was curiously looking at his granddaughter. ‘Poppy found him two days ago. Its wing was wounded.’ ‘And now the patient looks fine, so that means you did a great job! Well done!’ Grandpa hugged his granddaughter, patted Poppy, and together they went home.
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