Chip's Adventure It was a beautiful spring day. The sun was shining, the sky was blue with white puffy clouds in all shapes and sizes. The grass was green and flowers of all kinds sprouting up from a long winter's sleep. Mr. and Mrs. Robin were perched high in their maple tree over looking the city park where children of all ages were at play while their parents sat near by talking among each other. But Mr. and Mrs. Robin had other things on their minds. Mrs. Robin sat atop two beautiful blue eggs, keeping them nice and warm. Mr. Robin was pacing back and forth on the long branch awaiting the birth of his first two children. Mrs. Robin was very patient as she somehow knew this was going to take awhile. Mr. Robin though wasn't patient at all. He'd pace clear out to the end of the branch, muttering the whole way. Once back to the nest he would look at Mrs. Robin and ask, "Anything yet?" Mrs. Robin would shake her head no each time. This went on for days. Then suddenly, one day, Mr. Robin heard Mrs. Robin let out a loud sound and saw her step off the nest. There they watched a crack start in the smallest egg as a beak began poking through. Both parents were chirping loudly with wings flapping wildly. All the commotion brought their neighbors to the branch. Mr. and Mrs. Squirrel were looking on, twitching their tails in excitement. Mr. and Mrs. Blue Jay were chirping almost as loudly as Mr. and Mrs. Robin were. Mr. and Mrs. Butterfly were yelling loudly Mr. and Mrs. Catapillar to hurry up the tree before they missed everything. It was Mr. and Mrs. Spider who first noticed that the larger of the two eggs was now beginning to crack open too. Everyone was talking at the same time except for Mr. and Mrs. Bat who hung upside down in the large tree wishing everyone would be quiet so they could go on with their afternoon nap. Once both baby birds had emerged from their eggs Mr. Robin sent everyone away because Mrs. Robin would need this time to keep both baby birds warm and he would need to go out and bring back big, juicy worms for Mrs. Robin to feed to their young. The weeks passed. Both baby birds were now eating the worms on their own. Both had feathers and had begun to grow, flapping their wings everytime food was brought to them. Mr. and Mrs. Robin would take turns leaving the nest to bring them food. The day came when Mrs. Robin said to Mr. Robin, "I think it is time that we give our two boys a name."Mr. Robin looked at the second born, who was also the larger of his sons, "We shall call you Robbie." He then looked at his first born and said, "We shall call you Chip." The day finally came when Robbie and Chip had grown so much that there was but little room left in the nest for them to sit comfortably anymore. Mr. and Mrs. Robin knew it was time to teach their sons to fly on their own so that they could journey out on their own someday and raise families of their own. Mr. Robin flew out half way on the branch and said, "Okay boys, walk out here to me." Robbie jumped out of the nest and proudly walked out to his Dad as Mrs. Robin and Chip looked on. Mr. Robin said, "Okay Chip, your turn." Chip tried to move but his legs just wouldn't do as his mind told them to do. He looked down at the ground then at his brother and then to his parents. He knew now that he was afraid of falling but he didn't wish his family to know this and he blurted out, "I'm not feeling well. Please let me wait till I feel better, then I will do it." Each day his parents would tell him to try; but each day he would explain that he was still sick and to give him time to get well. In the mean time, Robbie was getting stronger, going greater distances out on to the branch, both parents bragging on how brave he was. Oh how Chip wished it were he they were bragging on but try as he might, he could not muster up the courage to step one foot out of the nest. Then one day it happened. Chip watched in wonderment as Robbie flew from the tall maple tree they called home over to a tall elm tree across the way. "Oh," Chip thought, "Why can't I do that?" He was very happy for Robbie, yet so jealous of all the attention Robbie would get. He often wondered if he would be doomed to a life in the maple tree. Would he even last long without food and water? Would anyone take mercy on him and bring him food? He just didn't know. Then one day without warning his parents flew to the elm tree to join Robbie. Chip thought to himself, "Are they really going to leave me here alone, to fend for myself?" He was so afraid and never felt lonelier in his short life. For several days Mrs. Robin would make time to bring Chip food but she told him one day, " Soon I will come no more son. You must do this on your own in order to survive. All you need do is step out of the nest, walk to the middle of the branch, push off with your feet, flap your wings and let the wind carry you." Chip looked at his mother and said, "You make it sound so easy." As his mothr prepared to fly off she turned and looked upon him saying, "It is my son, it is." and she flew away. Every day Chip would try to step out of the nest but he'd get so discouraged when he'd plop back in to the nest, too afraid to move the rest of the day. Soon came the day he was dreading, his mother came no more. He knew his parents did it because they loved him, because they knew he had to fly to survive. Chip began to cry, "She will be back, she won't let me starve." But the days passed and his mother did not return. Chip was hungry, afraid and very much alone. He looked above and swaw that the sky was becoming black with brilliant streaks of light racing across the sky. he heard loud booms in the distance as the winds became stronger, blowing the leaves of the maple inside out. Then he felt it! Big drops of water hitting him. He fluffed his feathers and blinked water from them, wishing his mother were here to keep him dry and safe. No longer was he positive it was the rain or tears of defeat running down his tiny face. The next morning Chip awoke to the sun shining, other birds singing and children playing on the ground beneath him. Across the way in the big elm he could see his parents and brother playfully flying from branch to branch. He thought how can they be so happy while I am so sad? But he quickly lost his train of thought when a big old bubble bee began buzzing around his head. He quickly became annoyed and began pecking at the intruder. The bee, however, was determined to stay. Chip became very angry that the bee had invaded his territory. With one vicious movement Chip pecked at it and caught it on the wing, biting as hard as he could. The bee broke free and flew off. Chip, feeling very proud of himself said, "I guess I taught you not to mess with the likes of me." But what Chip didn't realize was that the now angry bee had circled behind him and was about to charge Chip's tail feathers. Just seconds later Chip felt a very painful burning sensation just above his tail. He let out with a mighty cry. The next thing Chip knew he was perched right in the middle of the big maple's branch. He yelled, "Mother, Father, Robbie, help me!" Mr. and Mrs. Robin and even Robbie had seen the bee sting Chip and watched as he jumped from the nest. Mrs. Robin called out to her son, "Remember what I told you my son." Chip sat there digging his small claws in to the big branch of the maple. He thought back to his mother's words...'Just push off with your feet, flap your wings and let the wind carry you." He said aloud, "Can I? Do I dare try?" Across the way in the big elm Chip's family encouraged him. Mr. and Mrs. Squirrel were there, twitching their tails in excitement. Mr. and Mrs. Blue Jay chirping so loudly it was almost annoying. Mr. and Mrs. Butterfly yelling for Mr. and Mrs. Catapillar to hurry or they would surely miss it. Mr. and Mrs. Spider darting back and forth in their web to get a better view. Mr. and Mrs. Bat awoken from their nap said. "Oh P-Lease!" Chip became excited because he was now getting all the attention. He really began to believe that he could fly. He had to fly or he feared he would be the laughing stock of the maple and the elms occupants. Yet, his fear of falling was still with him and as much as he wanted to he just couldn't muster up the courage to push his tiny feet off that branch. Mr. Bat, angry because his nap had been interrupted, flew up beside Chip and said, "Come on boy, fly, what are you, a bird or a chicken?" But Chip was too afraid to move. This made Mr. Bat even more angry. Mr. Bat flew behind Chip and gave him a push. Off the branch went Chip. He felt himself falling. He heard the crowd suddenly become quiet. He was thinking, "I will surely die!"But again he heard his mother's word and he began flapping his wings for all he was worth. But still he continued to fall. He then heard his Father call out to him. "Stop fighting it son, flap gently and let the wind guide you." With that said, Chip slowed the pace of his wings. He felt himself soaring like an eagle. He flapped a bit faster and suddenly, he was flying! He joined his family in the big elm and he was so happy. Never again would he be afraid or alone. He was free at last.