“Did you see that new bird in school?” whispered Swain the black swan to Dazel as the two flew out of their classroom to share lunch on the Aviary School ground.

“Which bird?” asked Dazel as she chomped on the succulent, green grapes she had brought for lunch.

“It’s the most beautiful bird I have ever seen,” Swain shared in an awestruck voice. “It’s a parrot — but with the most glorious green and purple wings edged with gold and a cherry red beak.”

“Wow! This I’ve got to see,” Dazel exclaimed. “What class is he in?”

“He is in grade five, a year younger than us,” replied Swain. Just then Dazel saw a group of birds crowded near the Aviary School library.

“Is there some event at the library we don’t know about?” asked Dazel. Out of curiosity, the two friends flew towards the flock of birds near the tree-house that housed the library.

“It’s the pretty parrot,” murmured Swain.

“Oh my! He certainly is a gorgeous bird,” admitted Dazel in wonder. The other birds were also trying to speak to the parrot but he seemed least interested in making friends.

“I’m sorry but I need to return to my class,” the parrot declared in a curt voice. With a flutter of his exquisite wings, he flew towards his classroom in one of the elm trees of Aviary School.

“Well, he’s certainly not very friendly,” remarked Dazel as she observed how the parrot haughtily flew away from the birds who had surrounded him.

“What’s his name?” she heard Swain ask one of his classmates.

“Pierre,” gushed a dove who seemed to be star struck by her new classmate. “Isn’t he lovely? I mean I wish I was this beautiful!”

“But you are lovely, Dina,” said Dazel. “But not as lovely as Pierre,” insisted Dina the dove ruefully.

Dazel shook her head in amazement. She didn’t understand what the fuss was about. However, in the next few days Dazel noticed that Pierre’s fan club seemed to have multiplied.

One evening, at the lakeside Dazel shared her thoughts with her best friends, Delma and Din Din. She said, “I don’t know what the big deal is! Yes, he’s a stunning bird but everyone is giving him too much attention just because of the way he looks. That’s giving him a big ego. He acts like royalty!”

“Are you jealous, Dazel?” asked Din Din incredulously. “I mean you’re the last creature I would expect to be envious of someone.”

“Jealous!” scoffed Dazel. “Not a bit. I don’t even know him. But I just think all the other birds are making fools of themselves over him. They give him all this special attention; they moon over him and follow him around. It’s just silly.”

In the assembly on Friday at the Aviary School, Wiz Rooster announced that there was to be a special guest speaker who would be coming to the Aviary School on Monday, and that one of the birds would have to volunteer to make a floral bouquet and present it to him.

Many creatures flapped their wings to volunteer but the rooster’s eye was caught by Pierre’s vibrant wing. “Okay Pierre, make sure you prepare a fresh bouquet early Monday morning and you can present it to Professor Falcon in assembly.” Pierre’s chest swelled in pride.

“This is crazy,” Dazel said, “I would never have thought Wiz Rooster would give Pierre preference.”

“I don’t think he is giving any preference, Dazel,” argued Swain. “And Pierre does have a great style so I’m sure he’ll make a grand bouquet. Also, there is no doubt that if he presents the bouquet, our guest speaker will be impressed by the gorgeous bird.”

Early Monday morning, Dazel reached school before the rest of the birds as was her routine. Wiz Rooster had made her incharge of greeting the birds with a cheerful ‘good morning’ and she was at her position at the entrance of the school premises when a flustered Pierre entered.

“Dazel, something terrible has happened,” the parrot panted. Dazel was shocked to see the bird look so out of sorts. This was not the calm and arrogant Pierre everyone had come to know.

“I made the bouquet for Professor Falcon last night. I collected flowers from different parts of the Dark Forest and put it in the tree trunk where I live, but this morning I found it wrecked. Some nocturnal creature must have nibbled on it and now it’s a mess,” the parrot said. “How will I make the bouquet now?”

“Don’t worry, Pierre. I’ll help you. My friend Din Din has a lovely garden and I’m sure he will not mind if we use the flowers from there,” Dazel suggested. “Come I will take you. We still have half an hour till assembly.”

The two birds flew swiftly towards Din Din’s garden and before long they picked a lovely collection of daisies, roses and baby’s breath. “These are lovely and so fragrant,” Pierre said. “Much better than the wild flowers I had plucked from the Dark Forest.”

“Din Din is a wonderful gardener and tends to his plants very lovingly,” Dazel smiled, proud of her dinosaur friend. The two birds made it back just in time for assembly. “There you are, Pierre,” Wiz Rooster said. “What a lovely bouquet.”

“Dazel helped me make it, Sir,” Pierre said humbly, shooting the duck with a grateful smile.

“We made it together, Sir,” Dazel added. Professor Falcon loved the bouquet he was gifted. “Thank you,” the falcon told Pierre when the parrot presented it to him.

During break time, the parrot came up to where Dazel and Swain were enjoying their lunch of sunflower seeds. “Thanks for all your help today, Dazel,” the parrot began. “It was nothing. I was glad to be of assistance,” Dazel replied kindly.

“We haven’t been friends,” Pierre said, shifting on his claws uncomfortably. “It would be an honour to be your friend.”

“The pleasure would be mine,” Dazel said, flushing with pleasure. When the parrot had left, Dazel saw how a flock of his admirers began to gather around him.

“He’s not that bad,” Dazel admitted ruefully. Swain laughed, “I’m glad you agree.”

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