BOYS & GIRLS PAGE

by Mrs Seaton

The Little Robin

Dear Boys and Girls,

I wonder if any of you have, over these past few weeks, noticed in the parks and woods, young birds being taught to fly by the mother birds? If you have noticed, I'm sure, like me, you have found it very interesting to watch. It reminded me of a story I read of a little robin red-breast.

This little robin was the only one left in the nest; the others had flown out into the great green world. Why this little robin red-breast stayed in the nest its mother didn't know. Perhaps it found the nest too comfortable, or maybe it enjoyed the food and water its mother brought it. Anyway, whatever the reason, it just stayed on in the nest and wouldn't budge. Then one day, two little boys walked past the tree where the nest was, and the little bird got such a fright that it spread its wings, and flew out into the open for the very first time, right over a large pond. But, the pond was wide and the robin's wings were small, and it fell right into the water. The poor little bird tried to swim, but its little wings got wetter and heavier. It looked around for help, and its mother called out to it. I suppose if we understood bird language, she might have been saying, “Swim on! Go on! Keep going!” and the little robin managed to struggle on, and, at last, reached the bank.

The bank was steep and the little bird was tired, but help was near at hand, because the two boys saw it all and ran over and lifted the little robin out of the water just as its tired head began to sink. They took it back to its nest and later on after a rest, it flew off, this time, right over the pond.

God, too, of course, saw all that happened to that little bird that day, for the Bible tells us that Jesus said that even when a bird falls to the ground God knows all about it. Our Lord also said, of course, to learn from that the great lesson that God also cares for us, for said our Lord to His disciples, “Ye are more precious than many sparrows.” Such a lesson is meant to make us thankful, so let us learn to be thankful by seeking to do and say those things that will please our God who always sees us and hears us.