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The Clever Little Bird
Liz Ralfe and Suzanne Singh
Wiehan de Jager
English
Once long ago, the birds had a meeting. They wanted a king.
The Eagle wanted to be king. The other birds said, "Your call is too sad to be king." The Ostrich wanted to be king. The other birds said, "You can't fly."
Peacock wanted to be king. The other birds said, "You are too proud. You cannot be king." Owl wanted to be king. The other birds said, "You sleep during the day. You cannot be king."
And so they did not get too far. Then one bird said, "Who can fly the highest? That bird should be king." All the birds flew up up up into the sky.
Goose flew over the highest mountains in the world. Eagle flew into the blue above the mountains. But Vulture flew without stopping, up towards the sun.
High above them, the birds heard Vulture cry, "I am the highest, I am king!"
Vulture heard a tiny voice, "Tink, tink, tink! I am the highest, I am king." It was Ncede, the Neddicky, the smallest bird of all! He had held onto the feathers of Vulture as he flew up into the sky!
So Vulture flew down with the little bird still under his wing. The other birds were cross with Ncede. They waited for him, ready to pluck out all his feathers.
But the quick little bird saw how angry they were, and flew into an empty snake hole.
The birds told Owl to wait near the hole and catch him when he comes out. So Owl sat in front of the hole.
But the sun was warm and soon Owl was fast asleep. The little bird peeped out, saw that Owl was asleep, and z-zip, away he went.
Owl was very ashamed that he had let the little bird escape. Now he only hunts at night. In the day, he sleeps, away from the sight of the other birds.
You are free to download, copy, translate or adapt this story and use the illustrations as long as you attribute in the following way:
The Clever Little Bird
Author - South African Folktale
Adaptation - Liz Ralfe and Suzanne Singh
Illustration - Wiehan de Jager
Language - English
Level - First paragraphs
© African Storybook Initiative 2014
Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0
Source www.africanstorybook.org
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  • Translations and adaptations
    • Koning van die voëls
      Afrikaans (Translation)
    • የአእዋፋቱ ንጉሥ
      Amharic (Translation)
    • Mambo weShiri
      ChiShona (Translation)
    • Mwami Wabayuni
      ChiTonga (Translation)
    • Mfumu Yambalame
      CiNyanja (Translation)
    • King of the birds
      English (Original)
    • Le Roi Des Oiseaux
      French (Translation)
    • Imfumu Yafyuuni
      IciBemba (Translation)
    • Ikosi yeenyoni
      isiNdebele (Translation)
    • UNcede inkosi yeentaka
      isiXhosa (Translation)
    • Inkosi yezinyoni
      isiZulu (Translation)
    • Ungcede Inkosi Yezinyoni
      isiZulu (Adaptation)
    • Musumbi Wa Nyunyi
      Kikamba (Translation)
    • Opi Aria Yi Ni
      Lugbarati (Translation)
    • Kabaka We Nyonyi
      Lugwere (Translation)
    • Umuyiinga we Binywiinywi
      Lumasaaba (Translation)
    • Habaha W'Enyuni
      Lunyole (Translation)
    • Kyabazinga gh'enhonhi
      Lusoga (Translation)
    • Olkínkí Le Oó Imotónyi
      Maa (Translation)
    • Ninsi Natitari
      Mampruli (Translation)
    • Omwami Wa Amayoni
      Oluwanga (Translation)
    • Rei Das Aves
      Portuguese (Translation)
    • Kgoši ya dinonyana
      Sepedi (Translation)
    • Morena wa dinonyana
      Sesotho (South Africa) (Translation)
    • Kgosi ya dinonyane
      Setswana (Translation)
    • Mulena Walinyunywani
      SiLozi (Translation)
    • Inkhosi yetinyoni
      Siswati (Translation)
    • Khosi ya zwiṋoni
      Tshivenḓa (Translation)
    • Hosinkulu ya swinyenyana
      Xitsonga (Translation)
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