Author Information
Fable
Ana Paula Vázquez
Alberto García
Many many years ago during one colorful fall, a bear started eating lots of fish, a chipmunk started looking for nuts and safe keeping them in his little house, and the rabbit started growing thicker fur, but the birds, the birds kept flying around all day every day, not doing anything, just playing with their other bird friends.
The birds kept playing around, and the other animals worked hard on their chores, preparing for winter. One day, way up in the skies, as the birds took a break from fooling around, they looked down on all the other working animals.
“Why are they even working so hard? There’s still a couple weeks before winter,” one bird said.
“They’re just a bunch of losers, they wouldn’t know the first thing about having fun. Just look at that stupid bear trying to get fat. Doesn’t he know that fish is high on protein and low on fat. See, I’m telling you they’re just a bunch of dorks,” replied the other bird. They began to play again as they laughed and laughed at the other animals.
Meanwhile, the rabbit talked to the chipmunk while he kept looking for nuts and saving them in little nooks and empty spaces in his home.
“I’m telling you, Chip, this winter will be one of the harshest we’ll ever have, if not the coldest one yet. Just look at all the fur I’m growing, this isn’t normal,” exclaimed the bunny while he hopped behind Chip, the chipmunk.
“Coldest winter or not, I’m looking for as much food as I can find. As long as I stock up enough, I’ll be just fine in my warm house,” said Chip. They passed by the river where Big, the bear, was catching fish.
“Hey Big, how’s the fishing going?” asked Chip
“Just fine, there aren’t much fish left now, most of them are at the bottom of the river now, it’s starting to get really cold for them. I just need a couple kilos more to reach my goal weight,” Big said excitedly pointing at his huge tummy with his monstrous arms.
“Yeah, you’re looking especially big this year, no pun intended,” answered Hops, the bunny, as Chip rolled his eyes at the bad joke.
The days turned into weeks and as the forest was covered by a beautiful white layer, Chip, Hops and Big said their goodbyes for the next few months. Hops had been right, this winter had turned out to be the coldest one yet, but luckily, they had all been prepared just in time. The only problem was the group of birds who hadn’t done a thing all autumn in order to be ready for winter.
The birds all shivered as they watched all the other animals go inside their homes.
“I feel sorta stupid now,” said one bird.
“Maybe just a little bit,” replied another.
“Well, I don’t know about you folks but I don’t plan on staying here to become a popsicle, I’m gonna find somewhere warmer than here.”
The bird took flight and as he got farther and farther away the other birds looked at each other, shrugged and followed him. Since then the birds know that every year that they play instead of building themselves a nest, they’ll have to fly whole continents just to find somewhere warm.
