Once upon a time, there lived Little Bird. She had a warm, cosy nest. Little Bird loved to sing every morning from the big tree that had strong branches.

Every day when Little Bird looked up, she would see monkeys swinging high up in the tree. They danced and climbed on the branches. Little Bird wished she could swing high up in the trees and dance like them.

She wished and wished and wished, until one morning, her wish was granted. When she woke up, she was Little Monkey! She ran up the tree and swung on the highest branches and chattered, "Oo! Oo! Aa! Oo! Oo! Aa! Aa! How happy I feel!"

But one night, there was a big storm. Little Monkey tried to hide in a nest but, she was too big! She could not fit in. She was a monkey, not a bird! She tried to hide with the other monkeys but they did not understand when she tried to talk to them; she was too chirpy! She sounded like a bird, so they chased her away. Little Bird became so sad. She was rained on until she got a cold. If only she was Little Bird again!

Luckily for Little Monkey, the next day was better. She had turned into Little Bird again. Oh, how joyful she now was! She sung all day long in her nest. Little Bird soon forgot all about her ordeal when she saw Squirrel running on the ground. Squirrel ran playfully and jumped around with his friends.

"Oh!" Wished Little Bird, "If only I too could run on the ground with my friends. Oh, how I want to be Squirrel." Little Bird wished and wished and wished some more, until she turned into Little Squirrel! She ran on the ground in glee and chased the other squirrels.

But alas! What did she hear behind her? She turned just in time to see Snake almost eat her! Oh, poor Little Squirrel. She ran as fast as she could to look for a place to hide. Snake followed her so fast. Little Squirrel tried to get into a hole, but it was already full of other squirrels. No one wanted her there, they shut their door and shooed her away.

Little Squirrel ran and ran until her feet felt so sore and tired. How she wished she had wings to fly away. But she was not a bird, she was a squirrel! She found a big bush to hide in. Snake slithered and hissed as she came closer and closer. Little Squirrel tried to keep still so that Snake would not see her. Suddenly, she heard something jump in front of her. Little Squirrel knew that she had been found out and she closed her eyes very tight and waited to be eaten.

It was so silent that she was sure that Snake had swallowed her and she was in her stomach. She opened her eyes slowly, the left eye, then the right. When she looked up, she saw Hare running away. It was Hare that had jumped and frightened her so. Snake was now chasing hard after Hare. Little Squirrel stood up slowly, her little heart pounding in her chest. She was so glad that she was alive.

Little Squirrel promised that if she became a bird again, she would never ever complain. She would be grateful because she could fly and that she could fit in her nest. The next morning, when Little Squirrel woke up, she was Little Bird again. She sang in her little nest and happily stayed content.