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Eagle, Crow and Emu

Bird Stories

Fremantle Press

Eagle and Bullfrog

LITTLE EAGLE

High in the treetops a baby eagle shrieked and called for its parents to return. Little Eagle was growing quickly. He was always hungry, so both parents had to leave the nest to find food for him. They loved Little Eagle and couldn't wait to soar with him into the sky and show him the amazing world they lived in.

But Little Eagle couldn't fly. His parents were getting worried — all the other baby eagles were already flying.

One night, when Little Eagle was asleep, his parents stayed up talking.

'Little Eagle's wings just aren't as long as the other birds' wings. He might never be able to fly,' said Father Eagle sadly.

'What will we do?' Mother Eagle asked.

Little Eagle's parents knew he couldn't stay in the nest high in the trees. It would be too dangerous as he got bigger — he might fall.

'We will wait until the next moon,' said Father Eagle. 'If Little Eagle's wings still haven't grown, then we will have to teach him how to live as a land creature.'

Little Eagle was very quiet. He had only been pretending to sleep and he'd heard everything his parents said. It was bad enough that all the other baby eagles laughed at him as he wobbled on the edge of his nest, awkwardly flapping his little wings. Now even his parents didn't think he would fly! Little Eagle knew he had to be a sky creature, he just couldn't be like those silly land creatures he watched from his nest.

Little Eagle was determined to prove everyone wrong. As he nestled down to sleep he whispered to himself, 'Tomorrow I will fly.'

LEAVING THE NEST

The next morning Little Eagle waited until all the other eagles had flown off in search of food. He didn't want anyone watching him as he practised his take-off. He walked to the very edge of the nest. It really was quite high when he looked down. He was scared. Maybe he should wait another day?

'No,' he said out loud. 'Today is the day. I must show everyone that I can fly.'

Little Eagle was so busy talking to himself that he didn't notice it was getting rather windy. Was that a willy-willy coming? He was peering down for one last look before take-off when he tumbled over the side of the nest. The willy-willy caught him. Over and over, round and round he spun. Little Eagle didn't know which way was up and which way was down. The willy-willy wouldn't let him go. But then, just as suddenly as it had started, it began to slow. Little Eagle found himself falling until he landed with a thump.

BULLFROG

'What happened? Where am I?' said Little Eagle.

'Get off me,' a cross voice replied.

Looking down, Little Eagle saw a small green serpent that had been lazing in the sun.

'You fell from the sky,' said Serpent.

'My wings are too small to fly,' said Little Eagle sadly.

'No they're not,' said naughty Serpent, 'you just have too many feathers. Here, let me help you.' And with that, Serpent pulled three feathers from each of Little Eagle's wings.

'No!' Little Eagle cried. 'Stop!' Without his precious wing feathers, Little Eagle knew he would never be able to fly. But Serpent slid off quickly into the bushes.

Little Eagle felt very sorry for himself, and his wings hurt. He started walking, looking for somewhere to shelter. Soon he came to a waterhole and started to drink.

'What are you doing here?' demanded a croaky voice. A large bullfrog was looking at him. 'This is my waterhole,' said Bullfrog, putting on his scariest voice.

Little Eagle started to cry. 'I've lost my tree and I'm scared and I can't fly,' he wailed.

Bullfrog looked at poor Little Eagle and his voice became not quite so grumpy. 'Your wings are small now but when they grow you will fly home.'

But Little Eagle just cried harder. 'Even if my wings grow, I won't be able to fly and I'll never get home.' Little Eagle told Bullfrog about losing his precious feathers.

'Oh well,' said Bullfrog, 'you can stay with me and share my waterhole.' Bullfrog gave Little Eagle some reeds and sticks to make a nest and Little Eagle settled down for the night.

WARNING

In the morning Bullfrog began teaching Little Eagle how to live as a land creature. When other animals came to drink at the waterhole, Bullfrog would tell Little Eagle about them — which ones were trustworthy and which ones to avoid.

'Be careful of that naughty green serpent,' warned Bullfrog, 'he's very greedy and always takes things.'

But Little Eagle already knew that.

ALONG CAME A SPIDER

Eagle lived happily with Bullfrog. His wings finally grew but he was still missing his special feathers.

One day, when Little Eagle was out looking for food, he heard a call for help. There, caught in a spider's web, was a winged serpent unable to get free.

Little Eagle started to break the web with his strong claws and sharp beak.

'I'm sorry, winged serpent,' he said, 'but I will have to break your wings to free you.'

The winged serpent started to cry.

'Don't cry. I'll try and save some of your feathers,' Little Eagle said.

'Oh, Eagle, they aren't my feathers,' replied Serpent. 'I stole them from you. I always wanted to fly and be a sky creature and a land creature. But the feathers kept falling out, so I tried to get some spider's thread to tie them on tight. I got stuck instead. I'm so sorry for taking your feathers. I deserve to be left for Spider.'

Little Eagle was very upset, but he still felt sorry for Serpent. Serpent had been struggling for a long time to get free of the web and was growing weak. Spider returned every night to her web, and soon Serpent would not be strong enough to fight her.

As Little Eagle broke the last strand and freed Serpent, they heard a crashing noise in the bushes. Spider was returning.

'Run,' said Serpent, 'save yourself before Spider casts her web and catches you too.'

SERPENT AGAIN

Little Eagle scooped up Serpent and the broken feathers and began to run toward the waterhole. Spider spun her web faster and faster, but just as she was about to cast it over the fleeing pair, a loud voice boomed out.

'This is my waterhole,' croaked Bullfrog in his scariest voice, 'and you have no place here, Spider.' Then Bullfrog flicked out his tongue and grabbed Spider and her web, tossing them high into the sky, as high as the moon and stars.

'Oh, Bullfrog, you really are my best friend,' said Little Eagle.

When Bullfrog saw Serpent and the ragged broken feathers, he was very upset for his friend Little Eagle. 'I told you not to trust that naughty serpent,' said Bullfrog.

'I think he has learned his lesson,' said Little Eagle.

'All right,' grumbled Bullfrog.

So they made a little bed for Serpent who was very tired.

While Serpent slept, Bullfrog and Little Eagle sat together talking at the waterhole. Little Eagle was so much bigger than when he first came to the waterhole, he looked just like a real eagle — if only he could fly.

'You know, Little Eagle,' said Bullfrog, 'sometimes when Moon is full and there are no clouds, Moon comes to rest in my waterhole. I've been waiting a long time for her. She should visit soon and when she does, I can make one wish.'

'What is your wish, Bullfrog?' asked Little Eagle curiously.

'I can't tell you or it won't come true,' replied Bullfrog.

MAKING WISHES

That night Little Eagle fell asleep early, tired after all his adventures, while Bullfrog sat singing by the waterhole.

Suddenly Bullfrog was shaking Little Eagle awake.

'Come quickly,' said Bullfrog. They rushed to the waterhole. There was Moon, sitting on the water — smiling.

'Look,' said Bullfrog. Floating in the waterhole were Little Eagle's feathers, no longer broken but strong and beautiful.

'Thank you, Moon. I will treasure them,' said Little Eagle. Then he turned to Bullfrog. 'Oh, Bullfrog, you gave up your wish for me.'

Bullfrog laughed. 'I didn't need it anymore, Little Eagle. I've already got my wish. I wanted a friend and now I have one. If that naughty little serpent behaves himself, I might even have two.'

'If only these feathers were in my wings, I could fly home,' said Little Eagle wistfully.

Serpent, woken up by the bright moonlight, heard Little Eagle's plea, and felt sorrier than ever for what he'd done. He looked up and whispered to Moon, 'I don't deserve it, but if you have just one more wish left, I wish that Little Eagle could fly.'

'I can help,' said a soft voice. There, hanging on a long silver thread, was Spider. She was living with Moon now, and learning to be a much nicer spider. She didn't look quite so big and scary as before, but Little Eagle moved closer to Bullfrog just in case.

'This is my strongest thread,' said Spider. 'It will fix your wing feathers in place.'

Little Eagle wept with joy. Now he would be able to fly to join his parents and all the other eagles. He would be a sky creature again. He would fly at long last! But he would never forget to visit his land creature friends.

THE GREAT COLD

THE COLD IS COMING

'The Great Cold is coming,' said Magpie as Crow shivered in her nest. 'You must leave before it's too late.'

'I know,' Crow said fearfully, 'but I can't leave, I have an egg to look after.'

'Then you and your baby will freeze,' said Magpie sadly, and with a flap of his wings he left his friend and flew away.

Crow knew where Magpie was going. It was the same place all the other animals were going — the Cavern. The animals were gathering there because soon it would be the only safe place. Snow had fallen that morning and the creeks had ice in them now. Everything had changed when Moon began fighting with Sun. Moon was jealous of Sun's brilliant glow, she wanted to be the most dazzling light in the sky. But if Moon won her battle with Sun, there would be no more light on earth and everything outside the Cavern would freeze.

Crow settled deeper into her nest. Beneath her was a small, warm egg. She couldn't leave him. He was her first egg and she knew in her heart he was a very important bird.

Just then, something cold and white landed softly on Crow's head. As it sank into her feathers a terrible chill crept across her. It was snowing again. Crow felt sick. What should she do? If the snow continued, her nest would be covered. If she was buried under the snow, then her egg would die with her. She had to do something, but what?

A WINTER WASTELAND

Suddenly Crow had an idea. She would take the nest with her. It would be very hard, flying all that way to the Cavern with a nest in her beak. It could even be too late, but it was her only chance. Quickly she flew down and gathered some fallen gum leaves. She placed them over her egg to shelter it from the cold, then she grasped the nest in her beak and flew after Magpie. Crow was sure she heard her little egg faintly cry, 'Don't worry, Mum, we'll be okay!'

As Crow flew towards the Cavern, she noticed how much the land had changed. It was like an icy hand had reached out and turned the beautiful warm earth of her country into a winter wasteland.

A nearby creek had frozen over and small fish lay trapped beneath the clear surface. Frogs shivered and slipped on the smooth ice, and a fat wombat struggled to reach his burrow deep inside the riverbank. Crow felt a great sadness in her heart. She would have liked to help the animals far below her, but she had to save her egg.

The further Crow flew, the harder her journey became. Her wings grew heavy with cold and the tips of her feathers crusted over with jagged icy chips. It was hard to breathe, too. The air felt thin and sharp. When it slipped through her beak and down inside her body, her chest tightened painfully. Crow thought how awful it would be to freeze from the inside out.

A chilling gust of wind whipped up some of the gum leaves covering her egg. Crow was scared. Would her egg survive the journey to the Cavern? Crow forced herself to fly faster. Then she saw it, the small dark cave that hid the entrance to the great underground Cavern. Joyfully Crow dipped her wings and flew down, landing on the soft, sandy ground inside the cave. It was much warmer here. Crow laid her nest down in a nice snug spot. She pushed back the gum leaves and looked anxiously at her egg.

Was it all right?

THE CAVE

Crow rested the tip of one wing against her egg. It was still warm. Gently, she placed the gum leaves back over her egg and set about looking for the entrance to the Cavern. Magpie had told her that once all the animals arrived, the entrance would be sealed by a wall of coloured stones.

'When the wall closes, Crow,' he had warned, 'no-one else will be able to enter.'

Crow hoped she wasn't too late.

There was a tunnel leading off from the cave. Crow flew down the dark passage searching for the entrance to the Cavern. The deeper she went, the noisier it became. What is in this tunnel, Crow wondered.

Suddenly she was surrounded by hundreds of bats, flying at her crossly. Crow stumbled forward with the bats chasing her until she saw a faint light up ahead.

But what was it?

As she got closer, Crow's heart sank. Shimmering in the darkness was a wall of softly glowing stones. The entrance to the Cavern was sealed.

'I'm too late,' Crow thought miserably.

She returned to the cave and hopped into her nest, sharing her warmth with her egg. How long will it be before we both freeze, Crow wondered. How long before the cold claims the warm cave too?

'I love you!' she told her little egg.

Then she began to cry softly.

GOANNA

Crow cried so much, her tears flooded the cave floor.

'What's going on?' a voice grumbled.

Crow peered over the edge of her nest.

An old, angry goanna stared back at her. 'I don't like water,' he said. 'You've made my skin all wet with your tears.'

'I ... I'm sorry,' stammered Crow.

'What are you crying for, anyway?'

'The Great Cold is coming. I was trying to reach the Cavern with my egg, but it's too late. The wall has already closed.'

'Is that all?' sniffed Goanna. 'I've lived here all my life, I know another way in.'

Crow couldn't believe her luck. 'Will you show me?' she asked eagerly.

Goanna didn't reply.

Crow shook out her lovely black wings nervously. 'Please!' she begged. 'I have to save my egg.'

Goanna stared at her shiny feathers in envy. He had always dreamed of flying. Cunningly, he said, 'If you give me four of your wing feathers, I will show you.'

Crow quickly agreed.

'Come on, then,' said Goanna.

Crow picked up her nest and followed Goanna to a dark corner. Goanna tipped over a rock. Behind it was a small passageway. 'You go in first,' he said. 'I have to put the rock back.'

Crow and her nest only just fitted in and when Goanna caught up with her it was very crowded.

'I can carry your nest if it's too heavy,' Goanna offered.

'No thank you,' said Crow. She didn't trust anyone to look after her egg except herself.

Crow could hear running water in the distance. They turned a bend and came upon a waterfall.

'You must not drink the water,' Goanna warned. 'It's from the Great Cold, it will freeze you.'

Crow wasn't worried about drinking the water, she was worried about how they would get past it.

Goanna winked at her, then he filled his mouth with small brown pebbles and spat them at the waterfall. It lifted like a curtain. Tucked away behind it was a large opening.

'Hurry,' Goanna said. 'The water will come back very soon.'

They entered the tunnel behind the waterfall. The ground was so wet and slippery, Crow and Goanna lost their footing and went sliding deeper and deeper into the earth.

A large spongy tree fern broke their fall. Its fringed leaves caught them, wrapped around them warmly, and they both fell into a deep sleep.

THE CAVERN

Crow and Goanna woke to find themselves in the green world of the Cavern. It was a magical place filled with trees and bushes. A small freshwater creek ran through the centre. All the animals who had fled from the Great Cold were there.

'Goanna saved me and my egg,' Crow told everyone. 'He's a hero.'

They all made a fuss of Goanna.

Goanna felt embarrassed. He hadn't set out to be a hero. All he really wanted was Crow's wing feathers.

Crow's friend Magpie came over. He was very happy to see Crow and her egg. 'Come on,' he said. 'I'll help you and Goanna find a nice spot to live.'

Crow quickly settled into her new home in a lovely gum tree. Nearby, Goanna snuggled into a warm rock crevice.

'Goanna,' Crow called from her tree. 'Catch!' And four of Crow's best wing feathers floated down.

Goanna was very excited. He stuck two feathers on each side of his body. Then he ran along trying to fly. He jumped and rolled and fell off rocks and landed on his head.

'Just keep practising, Goanna,' Crow told him. 'That's what baby birds do.'

'What else do baby birds do?' Goanna asked eagerly.

'They live in trees,' laughed Crow.

Goanna scuttled up a tree and climbed to the top.

'Be careful you don't fall and hurt yourself!' Crow cried.

Goanna threw himself from the tree, flapping his wing feathers all the way down to the ground. Luckily he landed on a sleeping wombat.

'You're a lizard not a bird!' the wombat grumbled. 'Lizards don't fly!'

Crow felt sorry for Goanna when she saw him slump down in the sand. It was true, he was just a goanna. But Crow thought he might be special too, just like the baby in her egg. As she watched, tiny black feathers sprouted all around the larger wing feathers Goanna had strapped to his body.

'Goanna!' Crow cried. 'You're changing! Look at yourself in the water.'

Goanna shuffled over and looked at his reflection. His mouth fell open when he saw his new feathers. 'What am I?' he asked in awe. 'I'm not a goanna anymore, but I'm not a bird either. I must be a Goannabird!'

GOANNABIRD

The following morning Crow woke to find Goanna had grown even more feathers overnight. His wing and tail feathers looked so long and strong, she was sure he would be able to fly higher than any other bird.

When the other animals saw what had happened, they rushed over.

'There's no doubt about it,' Emu said as he inspected Goanna. 'They're proper feathers. You know, Goanna, if your dream is to fly then I believe you will.'

'So do I,' said Crow smugly. She felt very proud of her friend Goanna.

Filled with confidence, Goanna marched to the tallest tree in the Cavern and climbed to the very top. Everyone had faith in Goanna, but just in case he got into trouble, a large group of wombats lay around the base of the tree to give him a soft landing.

'You can do it, Goanna!' called Crow.

Goanna launched himself from the highest branch. And this time, instead of falling, he flew.

He soared over his friends in long, graceful swoops.

'Goannabird!' Crow cried out gleefully.

Soon all the animals were chanting, 'Goannabird! Goannabird!'

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Excerpted from Eagle, Crow and Emu by Gladys Milroy, Jill Milroy. Copyright © 2016 Gladys Milroy and Jill Milroy. Excerpted by permission of Fremantle Press.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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