there was once a little bird that aspired to run and be the fastest runner ever. he ran and ran everyday, but little birds weren't built to run. over time, he developed injuries that hampered his running. in the course of his recovery, he thought long and hard about what he really wanted to be when he realised that he hadn't had a clue. now he still stumbles from place to place looking for somewhere to head to. the little bird never once thought to use the wings he was gifted with, for he was never taught how to use them. in the course of his aimless wandering, he met, knew, quarrelled with and parted from many different animals.

he once met a lion, but the lion was cold and distant. he only cared about roaring loudly on the plains to whoever bothered to listen. he ignored the little bird and so the little bird move on. the next animal he met was a cougar. this cougar was only slightly more sociable. he made small talk from time to time but kept largely to himself. the little bird thought this strange and decided to observe further. the cougar kept to its own kind, but even then each cougar remained an individual, and there was no sense of belonging. if this was how things were with their own kind, how much worse would it be for another species? so the little bird went on his way.

next, the little bird chanced upon a herd of horses. one horse offered to give the little bird a ride, so it sat on the horse's back while the horse went on its way. they passed meadows and fields, large and wide and beautiful. they moved from place to place, never settling down for long. the herd was like family, but the little bird always felt out of place. sure the horses tried to be friends, but the little bird never seemed to fit in. he was a little saddened by this, but knew that he never belonged from the start. so he parted ways and went on his own way.

what about his wings you might ask? well this little bird is now a visitor to a zoo. who knows, maybe one day he'll grow up and learn to use his wings on his own, or maybe someone there will teach him...

Bertram awoke @ 1:50 AM with