In a beautiful meadow, where daisies grew and butterflies danced about, there lived a little sparrow named Sophie. Every day, Sophie used to perch upon a twig and sing sweetly to herself. Her favorite song was “A Robin Like You,” and when the winds blew, the brook seemed to love her song so much that it would dance along with her. But despite this, Sophie always felt unhappy at heart, for she often saw little birds sitting in the branches and twigs of the trees and joining in a glad song, who had sweet music to sing to one another, while she alone could find no companion.
One morning as Sophie sat singing her favorite air, she was quite delighted to see a pretty little green bird looking down at her from one of the twigs just above her head.
“Good morning!” said the little green bird.
“Good morning!” said Sophie.
“Is not this a very beautiful sunny glade in which to see each other every day? I think I have not seen you here before.”
“I have only just settled here,” said Sophie. “This glade is fresh and green, and the daisies are so pretty, while the sunshine makes it seem like paradise.”
“So I think,” said the little green bird. “My name is Flora. What is yours?”
“Sophie,” was the reply. “Don’t you think I have a very nice name?”
“Very,” said Flora. “But what music do you sing here?”
“Nothing but my favorite song, ‘A Robin Like You,’” replied Sophie with a sigh; “but I am afraid I sing it badly, for I am all alone.”
“Would you not like to join the choir of little birds that pay visits from tree to tree every day?” asked Flora.
“I should like it above everything else,” said Sophie, her eyes sparkling, “but I could never have courage to do that. I should be frightened; I couldn’t help trembling so at the thought of it.”
“Don’t let that frighten you,” said Flora. “All the birds feel shy at first, but by degrees they get over it. Will you meet me here tomorrow morning, and if you do not come, I will know that you are afraid?”
“I will do so,” said Sophie, making a desperate resolution, although she was trembling while she spoke.
The next morning Flora was waiting for her; and as Sophie was all alone, she made bolder advance. When Flora asked her shyly to sing her song, she sang it with her head bent down, and with a sweet, plaintive voice. Flora listened attentively, and when she had finished said, “I think you sing very nicely, Sophie. I like that song best of all. Will you be of our number and share in our excursions today?”
“I would; but I have hardly courage enough.”
“Then let us go together,” was Flora’s reply.
Just at that moment little Fail, the bluebird, passed by, on his way to join the choir with which he went out every day. He had a nice, soft voice, and while on the road he sang a pretty air. Flora called him, and when she told him her plan, he jumped with joy.
“Then Sophie is really coming with us today?” said he. “I asked her yesterday, and she promised to do so. I was very much afraid she was going to break her word. Dear Sophie, I hope you will not disgrace us.”
Sophie felt rather ashamed at his words, and resolved that she would make up for it.
“Only come to us,” said Flora, “and put yourself in the middle of us, and then we will sing ‘A Robin Like You’ all the way.”
So saying, she took Sophie by the wing, and tried to lead her forward, but she was so much afraid that she was obliged to lift both wings and fly. When Fail saw this, he jumped forward to help her himself.
“Don’t be discouraged,” cried he. “All your fears are perfectly natural. Everybody feels so at first.”
Sophie looked at him in astonishment and thought, “He is so good-natured. If I am only as well received in the choir today, I shall be the happiest of birds.”
With Flora on one side and Fail on the other, she took courage and flew off with her two companions, but she was unable to avoid being afraid all the time at the thought of the people staring at her; close to her home she always felt particularly frightened. The third time she got so frightened that she could not help falling behind a little. The bluebird went toward her directly, and Flora stopped, too.
“Believe me, dear Sophie,” said the former, “that no birdie hugs her trust in a song without trembling and turning white in face—that’s what frightens me, too. Come, sing what you can intelligibly.”
These friendly words encouraged Sophie, and a moment later she was fluttering her wings and singing in full courage the words of all the little birds who had three times welcomed her. Flora and Fail divided the remaining portions of the air between them so that Sophie should not fall out of breath.
Soon they perceived other little birds joining with them. At first it was only one or two, then more so that at length they nearly put out the sky with a hymn of happiness and thankful cries, in which together they gave thanks to their great Benefactor of all.
When at last they stopped singing, Flora asked confidently who would follow her next time. For a little while no one promised anything.
“I will go,” said Sophie at last. “Indeed, it seems so nice now that I would not but go for the pleasure of singing once more.”
Be in a happy humor, dear children, like Sophie, and feel, like her, that there is nothing to be unhappy at, and try to share your happiness with everyone else.