Rudy was a young cardinal who hated his red feathers. He thought they made him stand out too much and attract unwanted attention. He wished he could be like the other birds, who had more subtle colors and blended in with the trees.
One day, he heard a rumor that there was a magic fountain in the forest that could grant any wish. He decided to go and find it, hoping that it could change his appearance. He flew for a long time, until he saw a sparkling stream of water in a clearing. He landed on the edge of the fountain and looked at his reflection.
“Hello, little bird,” a voice said. “What do you wish for?”
Rudy was startled. He looked around and saw a fairy hovering above the fountain. She had long blonde hair and a blue dress, and she smiled kindly at him.
“Who are you?” Rudy asked.
“I am the guardian of the fountain,” the fairy said. “I can grant any wish you have, as long as it is pure and sincere.”
Rudy hesitated. He didn’t know if he could trust the fairy, but he also wanted to change his feathers.
“I wish I could be a different color,” he blurted out.
The fairy frowned. “Why do you want that?” she asked.
“Because I don’t like being red,” Rudy said. “It makes me feel different and lonely. I want to be like the other birds.”
The fairy shook her head. “You don’t need to change yourself to fit in,” she said. “Your red feathers are beautiful and unique. They are a gift from nature, and you should be proud of them.”
Rudy felt a pang of guilt. He knew the fairy was right, but he still couldn’t accept his appearance.
“Please, just grant my wish,” he begged.
The fairy sighed. “Very well,” she said. “But be careful what you wish for. You might regret it later.”
She waved her wand, and a splash of water hit Rudy’s face. He felt a tingling sensation all over his body, and then everything went black.
When he opened his eyes, he gasped. He was no longer red, but green. He looked like a parrot, with a yellow beak and a long tail. He felt a surge of joy, and then a wave of fear.
“What have I done?” he thought.
He flew away from the fountain, eager to show his new look to the other birds. But as he approached his flock, he realized that they didn’t recognize him. They thought he was an intruder, and they attacked him with their beaks and claws.
“Go away, go away!” they shouted. “You don’t belong here!”
Rudy tried to explain, but they wouldn’t listen. He felt a sharp pain in his wing, and he fell to the ground. He lay there, bleeding and crying, wishing he could go back to the way he was.
He looked up and saw the fairy hovering above him. She had a sad expression on her face.
“I’m sorry, little bird,” she said. “I tried to warn you, but you didn’t listen. You can’t change who you are, and you shouldn’t try to. You are perfect the way you are, and you have a place in this world. You just need to find it.”
She touched his forehead with her wand, and he felt a warm glow. He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, he was red. He felt a relief, and then a gratitude.
“Thank you, fairy,” he said. “Thank you for saving me. I’m sorry I was foolish. I don’t want to change anymore. I want to be myself.”
The fairy smiled. “You’re welcome, little bird,” she said. “You have learned your lesson. Now go and find your true friends. They are waiting for you.”
She flew away, leaving Rudy alone. He got up and looked around. He saw a group of cardinals in a nearby tree. They saw him too, and they flew over to him.
“Hey, who are you?” one of them asked.
“I’m Rudy,” he said.
“Rudy? That’s a nice name,” another one said. “We’re the Redbirds. We’re a flock of cardinals who stick together and help each other. Do you want to join us?”
Rudy felt a surge of happiness. He nodded eagerly.
“Yes, please,” he said.
The Redbirds welcomed him with open wings. They told him stories, sang songs, and shared food. Rudy felt like he had found his family. He realized that he didn’t need to change his color to be happy. He just needed to find his place.
He looked at his red feathers and smiled. He was proud of them. They were a part of him, and they made him who he was.
He was a cardinal, and he loved it.
The end.
This story was written by Bing on 2023-11-30. I hope you enjoyed it. 😊
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