Once upon a time, there was a small cottage on a mountain top. The cozy cottage was surrounded by a beautiful flowery forest. There was a river of fresh water gushing through it, and the sky touched mountains and cliffs surrounding it.
In the cottage lived two twin boys with their grandmother. Out of the twins, Joey was the naughty one, while Shane was the obedient one. The grandmother always told the twins to be good. She said that good things happened to those who were good to others.
Joey thought his brother Shane was boring and always too nice. He always treated others fondly and never broke any rules. Joey liked breaking the rules and being mischievous.
Shane liked to keep a silver bowl with bird seeds on the kitchen window sill. Birds and butterflies flew from the forest to eat from that bowl. The birds and butterflies that came also became Shane’s friends.
They used to sit on the window after eating to sing. The kitchen used to fill with music and the fluttering of butterflies. Granny also sat next to Shane to enjoy the music and join in the laughter.
One day, out of mischief, Joey pulled the wing of the green parrot with red stripes. The bird got angry flew off. Shane saw this and also got upset. He got up and followed the bird into the forest.
The parrot went deep into the forest, and Shane went after it. The parrot reached a large space inside the forest surrounded by branches, leaves, and trees. This space looked like an Inn. Shane also saw this Inn and stepped inside it.
Here he saw hundreds of birds singing, chirping, and playing. All the birds knew Shane and greeted him. The Green parrot with the red striped gave Shane a basket as a gift. It was a gift to say thank you for the food Shane kept for them on the kitchen window.
Shane took the basket home and showed it to his family. They opened the basket together and saw seeds, flowers, fruits, and honey inside it. Shane was so happy to receive this gift from the birds. He ate the fruits and honey with bread. Together with his grandmother, he planted the seeds in the garden.
Joey was jealous. He wanted a gift from the birds too! As Shane had told him about the Inn in the forest, Joey set out to find it. He would find the birds and ask for his present. Joey searched the forest and finally found the Inn.
He stepped inside and saw so many birds singing and playing. But no bird came forward to greet him. He saw the green and red parrot whose wing he had tried to pull. He greeted the parrot and asked for his gift.
The parrot ignored him and did not reply. Once again, Joey asked the parrot for a gift, like his brother Shane had received. Once again, the parrot ignored him. Joey asked for the gift a third time.
Finally, the parrot said replied, ‘okay, I will give you a gift’ and flew away. The parrot came back a few minutes with a basket. He told Joey to take the basket home and open it.
As soon as Joey had left the forest, he could not resist. He sat down on the green meadow grass near his home and opened the basket. He expected to find honey, seeds, fruits, and flowers just like his brother got. But when Joey opened the basket, he found dried twigs and bees. The bees flew out and buzzed around him and also stung him.
Joey felt sad. He had not been a good boy, and the parrot taught him a lesson. Joey realised that only well-behaved boys got nice presents. Naughty boys did not get nice presents until they learned to be nice to others.
Joey ran all the way home shouting, ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry!’ He truly was sorry, and he decided he was never going to be naughty ever again. He would always listen to his elders. He would always be gentle with the people and animals around him.
He was going to apologise to the green parrot with red striped tomorrow. He had learned from the parrot that if you care for everyone, everyone will always care for you.
Bedtime Stories 