The Bird and the Whale
(An original tale by TheFableCottage.com)
Once there was a bird who loved a whale.
And a whale who loved a bird.
The bird loved the whale's beautiful smile.
He loved the way she swam gracefully through the water.
The whale loved the bird's handsome white feathers.
She loved to watch him soar through the sky.
During the summer, the bird and the whale met in the bay.
They talked and talked.
They talked about the moon, and the waves,
and the ships in the ocean.
The bird told jokes that made the whale laugh.
The whale sang beautiful songs that made the bird cry.
"One day, you could meet my family in the ocean," said the whale.
"And you could meet my friends on the land," said the bird.
Everything was perfect.
But the world does not stop turning just because a bird and whale fall in love.
Summer changed into autumn,
and autumn changed into winter.
The ocean became cold,
and all the whales left for warmer waters.
"Come with me to warmer waters," said the whale.
"It’s a wonderful place.
It's always warm, and there are so many fish to eat."
"I love to eat fish," said the bird.
"And I love being with you.
I will follow you anywhere.
But first, teach me to be a whale."
"Like this!" said the whale, "follow me!"
and she dived into the water.
"OK!" said the bird,
and he also dived into the water.
Deeper and deeper he went.
"I'm swimming!" he laughed. "I'm a whale!"
But soon he could not breathe, and he returned, gasping, to the surface.
He tried and tried and tried to swim,
but he ran out of breath every time.
"I don't think a bird can be a whale," said the bird.
"Better (if you) come with me.
I live up on the cliffs.
It is a wonderful place.
It's warm and cosy,
and every morning you can see the sunrise."
"I love to see the sunrise," said the whale.
"And I love being with you.
I will follow you anywhere.
But first, teach me to be a bird."
"Like this!" said the bird. "Follow me!"
and he flapped his wings and soared into the sky.
"OK!" said the whale.
She shut her eyes tight and flapped her fins, just like the bird.
She flapped and flapped, up and down.
Water splashed everywhere.
"I'm flying!" she laughed. "I'm a bird!"
But when she opened her eyes, she was not soaring in the sky.
She was still in the water.
She tried and tried and tried to fly,
but she just couldn't.
"I don't think a whale can be a bird," said the whale.
"You can't fly, and I can't swim.
So where can we live together?" said the bird.
"We will stay here — in the waves!" said the whale.
But the seagull shook his head sadly.
"You love to swim deep in the ocean," he said.
“That is your favourite thing to do.
You will never be happy here."
"And you love to fly and soar into the sky," said the whale.
"That is your favourite thing to do.
You will never be happy here either."
And so, because the bird and whale loved each other so much,
they said goodbye.
But they never forgot each other.
Every time the whale saw a bird flying high in the sky,
she thought of her bird.
She hoped he was enjoying the skies, just like that.
And every time the bird saw a whale diving deep in the ocean
he thought of his whale.
He hoped she was enjoying the ocean, just like that.