Finally, the time came, and little sparrow chicks began to hatch one by one from the eggs in the sparrow's nest. Mother sparrow was very happy. She fed her babies, warmed them under her wings, and raised them. After a while, feathers began to grow on the chicks' wings. They would soon be able to learn to fly.
Mother sparrow tirelessly taught her babies one by one how to use their wings, how to turn their tails when landing or taking off. The chicks were very clever. They quickly grasped everything their mother showed them. But the youngest of the five chicks was smarter and more capable than the others. For this reason, he was also very brave. Every day he went further and further and told the other chicks what he had seen.
One day, while flying after a butterfly, he reached a place he had never been before. Nothing around him seemed familiar, and he didn't know which direction to fly to return home. He was very scared. His little heart was almost pounding out of his chest. He flew left and right, searching for his nest until all his strength was gone. But as evening approached, he no longer had the strength to flap his wings. He ran on the ground on his delicate legs. Suddenly, a wild duck appeared before him.
— Will you take me into your nest? — the little sparrow asked.
— Of course, I will, quack-quack.
— But I can't quack like you. I can only chirp-chirp.
— Then I can't take you into my nest, quack-quack.
The little sparrow continued to run. A little later, he met a pigeon.
— I'm very cold. Will you warm me a little under your wings?
— Of course, with great pleasure, coo-coo, — the pigeon cooed.
— But I can't talk like you, chirp-chirp.
— Then I can't warm you!
The sparrow started running again. An owl appeared before him:
— I'm very hungry. Can you give me something to eat?
— Of course, I will, hoo-hoo.
— But I can't hoot like you, I can only say "chirp-chirp".
— Then I can't give you food. Don't be upset with me.
It was already dark. The little sparrow was very hungry. He was trembling from both cold and hunger. In the darkness, he saw a bird standing in front of him. The little sparrow spoke with a trembling voice:
— Dear bird, will you take me into your nest? Will you give me food? I'm very tired. I'm a baby sparrow, I can only say "chirp-chirp"...
— Of course, I'll take you into my nest, I'll feed you, I'll warm you, and I'll protect you. I am your mother. I've been looking for you all day, chirp-chirp!
Mother sparrow took her baby to the nest. She fed him, warmed him under her wings, and caressed him until morning.
