PJ (The Canary) Here's What I think happened when PJ flew away and was gone for two days before he finally made it home again.
After you read the story please take a look at the pictures above! You can print this out to color the pictures if you like. The names of the animals in the stories are names of my children,my nieces and nephews.
On Two Wings and a Prayer
A Story for My Grandson Matthew
By: Charlotte Kappler
One Beautiful October day, PJ was just admiring himself in the new mirror his Ganny had installed in his bird cage. He knew he was the most beautiful bird in the world because his Ganny told him he was a "pretty bird" almost every day.
He always checked his face to make sure it was nice and pretty incase Ganny came by to visit him. He would look left and right up and down in the mirror until he thought he looked perfect. His favorite song in the world was also Matthew’s favorite song. It’s called Rubber Ducky. PJ loved to look at himself in the mirror and sing along with the song.
Ganny would turn that song up real loud and PJ would sing while Ganny and Matthew danced across the floor. He looked forward to hearing the song every day around five o’clock. After they got to sing and dance, it was bath time and supper time. PJ always said his night prayers withMatthew and Ganny before bedtime.
While admiring himself in his mirror, he heard the most beautiful sound. It was asound he had never heard before. It made the same sounds that he did. He turned around and looked out the window and there was a little bird brown bird on the other side of the window. It was singing and PJ knew what it was saying. The little bird, named Nick Nick asked PJ to come outside to play. PJ said that he couldn’t because he Ganny didn't think he could make it outside by himself and he had never been outside before.
Every day Nick Nick would peck on the window and pick on little PJ and dare him to come outside. He had never been further than sitting on the top of his bird cage and he really didn’t want to go outside. Ganny told him that there were animals that might eat him if he flew away and he would have to find his own food and water too and he would be very cold because it was getting to be winter time. He was different from other animals and he might not be able to find other canaries to love him like Ganny and Matthew loved him.
Early the next day, Nick Nick pecked on the window and said "PJ you are not a bird!" "You are a chicken!" Well that made PJ very upset because he had seen a chicken before and he knew he was not a chicken! He was a pretty bird because Ganny told him he was. He said, "I am not a chicken". "They are ugly and dirty and most of them can’t even fly". The little bird said, "You can’t fly either!" And PJ said "Oh yes, I can!"
So PJ decided to prove to Nick Nick that he was by no means a chicken! He waited and waited until his clipped wings had grown back. He tried them out a few times when no one was looking. Next, he waited for the right chance to fly outside.
Ganny left his cage door open so he could stand on top of his cage. But little did she know what PJ had up his wings today.
PJ waited and waited. Finally someone left the front door open. He took a deep breath and flew out the front door like a B52 Bomber Jet. He flew out the door and straight up in the air as far as he could. He looked down and got really dizzy and scared so he found a tall oak tree to land in.
He was so nervous his heart was beating one hundred milesan hour. After he caught his breath, he whistled for Nick Nick, his little bird friend. Nick Nick said, "I can’t believeyou did it". "You are definetly not a chicken". But Nick Nick said, "You look funny." You don't look like us Sparrows." I better not hang around you." Your feather are too colorful and you might get us killed because every animal and every human can see you." See ya later PJ." Nick Nick flew away. PJ was so sad. All those days of waiting and getting up the courage to fly away to play and now Nick Nick did not want to play with him.
PJ looked around and saw the big blue sky above him and the prickly green grass below him. He checked to see if there were any "mean" animals around and got a running start and off he went up, up, up into the clouds. He had a great time. He landed in a tall Pine Tree to take a break. Just then, a big hawk named Mr. Poo swooped down and almost grabbed him. Mr. Poo said, "Well, I can't believe I missed!" "I never miss!" and he got mad and flew away.
PJ jumped up on another limb and and two little brown squirrels named Ms. Katie and Ms. Jessies started throwing rocks at him Ms Katie said, "You better get away from my nuts before I bite you". Ms. Jessie said, "Hurry up and get out of here before we pound you". "We've been working hard all day to gather these nuts and you can't have them!"
PJ flew out of the tree as fast as he could fly and landed on the muddy and cold ground and a big green snake named Mr.Will wiggled up beside him and said, "Sssssssssss comeer witta birdie, gimme a hug witta birdie, Sssssssssssss". PJ needed a hug but he’d never gotten a hug from a snake before. "Why doyou want to hug me? " said PJ. " Sssssssssss I always hug my dinner. That is right BEFORE I EAT IT Ssssssssssssss!" PJ screamed and flew away as fast as he could.
PJ said, "Oh no!" What have I done? I have to go home! So he flew up, up and up and looked for his home but no matter how hard he looked, he could not find his home.
PJ perched on top of a telephone pole and started to cry. It was dark and he was thirsty and hungry and he missed his family, his mirror and especially Baby Matthew.
It was one of the coldest nights of the year. PJ wished he was in his warm cage and he really was missing his mirror. His feathers were a mess and he was sure he had something on his face. He found an old baby bird nest in the tree and pulled the old stinky straw over him so no other mean animals could get him. When he said his night prayers he promised Jesus if he ever found his way home again, that he would never fly away again even if the front door was wide open. PJ finally went to sleep although he was still cold and hungry.
The next morning he was awaken by a really skinny crow named Big Josh. He was the skinniest crow PJ had ever seen and he was playing music with an old washboard. PJ thought that was really wierd. Just then, Big Josh screamed at PJ and said "Get out of my tree dummy". "This is my tree". "You want to see my muscle?" Don't make me use them on you dummy". PJ was scared and flew up and upand away. He looked all day for his home and still could not find it.
Tired and hungry, he perched on top of an old house that had a mean bulldog in the back yard named Tootsie. Tootise saw PJ and said, "You wanna play with my bone little bird?" PJ knew by the look on Tootsies face that he better not play with a dog that had those two big scarey teeth pointed at him".
He flew on top of a green mailbox and the tears started flowing again. When he wiped away his tears he saw a big German Sheperd Dog named cameron and a little white dog named Lexie staring right into his face. They barked at him and scared him almost to death. He didn'tknow how much more of this his tiny bird heart could take so he flew down the road into an old wood shed. He hid between some old window panes and cried and cried. He began to pray and said, "Jesus, I promise if you will just show me the way home, I’ll be a good bird and I’ll never leave Matthew and my family again". It was getting late and once again, he had to sleep in the old wood shed all by himself, still cold and hungry.
The next morning, he was awaken by the sound of some familiar music. PJ said "Hey, I know that song". He started singing with the music. He flew out of the old wood shed and followed the sound of the delightful music. "Hey," PJ said. "That’s the rubber ducky song". "And there’s my house!" He flew to the front door but it was closed. He flew to the back door and it was closed too! " Oh no! " He said. "I’m home but I can’t get into my house!" He perched on top of a chicken pen and started to cry.
Just then an old White chicken named Ms. Mary slowly walked up to PJ while he was sitting on the pen. This chicken really smelled. Her feathers were dirty and her feet were muddy. She had just pecked a nasty worm from the ground and swallowed it whole! Ms. Mary then said to PJ, "Hey Lil Bird"! "What you doin outside?" Are you crazy?" PJ said, "Yes, yes I am crazy. I want to go back inside." Ms. Mary and all the other chickens laughed hysterically. "Why would you fly outside into this bad old world when you have everything you need inside?" "Don't cry little birdie, you will be okay, I have been praying for you even before you flew away because I saw Nick Nick teasing you at the window daring you to fly away." I also saw you when you flew away". "The outside world can be a cruel place for a cute little birdie like you". "I'm so glad you are home". Then she said,"I knew you would be back". "Don’t worry, you’ll be able to get in soon. Papa John will be out to feed us at six thirty." PJ was so happy because it was almost six thirty. He was so excited he flew to Ms. Mary and hugged her over and over and told her " You are the most beautiful chicken I have ever seen." You were the only one that was nice to me when I needed help". Ms. Mary said, "Well thank you PJ, no one's ever told me I was beautiful before and I'm glad I could help." Ms. Mary smiled and proudly strutted off back to her chicken pen like she was Mrs. America".
Suddenly the back door flew open and there was Papa John, Ganny Charlotte and Matthew. PJ was so excited he could hardly wait but was a little scared to just fly in the house so he sat on the cage and had a really sad look in his eyes.He was trying to say he was sorry for flying away.
Papa John said "Hey look Ganny, on the chicken pen."Ganny said, "Oh I don’t believe it, It’s PJ!" Baby Matthew smiled and giggled and was very happy that PJ came home. PJ was glad they were not mad at him. He flew up to the porch where they were and Ganny put him in his cage. PJ walked as fast as he could to his mirror and fixed his feathers and cleaned himself up real nice for his family. After he cleaned up he gobbled up some delicious bird seed and drank a lot of water. He was glad he was home sweet home. He felt protected, safe and warm.
Ganny and Matthew were happy he was home too because they had prayed for him to come home both nights that he was gone. Ganny told Jesus if he sent PJ home, she would never leave the door open so he could fly out and Jesus heard her prayer too.
They played the song "Rubber Ducky" just to welcome PJ home and PJ danced and whistled as Matthew and Ganny danced across the floor.
The End.........
Religious Morals of the Story:
Even though you have wings, it doesn't mean you are ready to fly but if you decide to try always remember that prayer will bring you home again. Never Judge a person by their appearance or talk bad about them because that person could be the most wonderful person in the world and could very well be your best friend and finally, don't wait until bad things happen to pray, pray everyday.
By: Charlotte Kappler
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