Riff on Opening Lines

 

My favorite childhood story was, Are You My Mother? By: P.D. Eastman

The openeing line of this story is: A mother bird sat on her egg.

A mother bird sat on her egg. There was just one single little egg and this particular one was something special, something meant for great and she knew it. One day the egg began to bounce and squirm around underneath the mother bird and she knew that it was time for her little baby to hatch but she needed to go get him some food.

Mother Bird then jumped off the edge of the nest and set on to find some worms and to find Papa Bird before their baby arrived.

Mother Bird flew over to Ravens nest to find Papa Bird and Raven bickering about something that didn’t seem to be all that important.

“You must use mud to build your nest to keep from having a draft!” yelled Raven while flapping is wings back and forth.

“No, no, no! You must use sticks!” said Papa Bird while pacing back and forth. “They have better stability and let the airflow through so it doesn’t get too hot!”

When she arrived she was out of breath from the mixture of flying as fast as she could and trying to hold in all the excitement from the big day. Papa Bird looked at her with a smile on his face, “Is it time?! Is our little nestling finally here?!”

 “Yes” said Momma Bird, “but I need you to go find some food for the baby while I make sure he doesn’t hop out of the nest.”

And without any hesitation Papa Bird darted right out of the nest and flapped his wings as fast as he could.

Meanwhile Momma Bird arrived back at the nest something to her great surprise. Her little baby was still in the egg and only his feet popped out. To her this was very unusual but she thought that eventually he would break off the rest of the egg.

As Papa Bird flew he realized he didn’t know what kind of food he should get for the baby to eat. He had the option between bugs, worms, or berries.  A bug seemed too rough and crunchy to swallow for the baby to eat but then berries are definitely too big and too juicy and wouldn’t want him to choke.

“What should I do?” thought Papa Bird. “Where do I go? I only have so little time! I can’t miss seeing my baby hatch!”

Then all of a sudden he found a solution. “I’ll go to Mr. Kralicek’s garden to find some worms.” Papa Bird decided that worms would be the better decision for they were not crunchy to where it could hurt their baby’s beak. They weren’t too big and round for the baby to be able to eat and they may be a little too big but Mother Bird can chew it up for the baby. This idea was just perfect!

Mother Bird was doing some small changes around the nest and making things a little more baby safe. She went and found some sticks to make the barriers to the nest a little higher so the baby wouldn’t fall out and she got some mud to fill in any cracks to keep the baby from getting sick from the draft. Mother Bird was a bit worried because their baby hadn’t moved in a while. His little feet just stuck out the bottom without an ounce of movement. She decided that maybe he was too cold so she went and ruffled up her feathers and snuggled up to her baby. “Where is Papa Bird, he should have been here by now.” she thought with concern.

Papa Bird arrived at Kralicek’s garden and began to hunt and peck. As he was hunting for worms he was having the debate as to what size of worm he should get. He knows their little baby is going to grow up to be a big strong bird so he thinks he should get the biggest most nutritional worm he could find. Worm after worm after worm and none seemed to be just right when all of a sudden he saw the worm digging through the dirt. It was the special one he had been looking for. As he crept forward his heart was racing with anticipation but he knew he had to wait for the right moment or he’ll miss it and have to start all over again. Step by step the worm continued to squirm and right when Papa bird began to leap for the kill all he saw was a huge blur and the worm was gone. Papa Bird thought for sure he had it when he looked up and saw another bird flying off with his worm. His worm! The worm he had been specifically hunting for this whole time! There was no way that bird will get that worm so Papa Bird took off after that bird and the chase was on.

When Papa Bird caught up with the thief who stole his worm he realized it was Raven. Raven his best friend yet mortal enemy. They spent much time together but they never agreed on anything and one had to always out do the other. Papa Bird was hoping that with do the circumstance Raven would give him the leeway and give up the worm but he knew Raven and it was worth a try.

“Hey Raven!”

“Hey Papa Bird, what are you doing up here? Shouldn’t you be with Mother Bird helping with your hatchling?”

“Well yes. She sent me on a hunt for food and see the thing is…you took my worm.”

“I did no such thing! This is my worm I saw him first!”

“Well Raven, I was kind of hoping you could maybe give me that worm because I had been in Kralicek’s garden all day trying to find that worm and you snatched him.”

“Hmmm… Well I’ll tell you what. If you admit that mud is better for building a nest then I’ll give you the worm.”

“Really?” said Papa Bird, “That is absolutely ridiculous! I will not say such a thing! You know sticks are better!”

“Oh no, no.” laughed Raven. “If you don’t say it then you don’t get the worm.”

Papa Bird thought for a moment. He knew that Raven was wrong but he had to think about Mother Bird and the baby and the better of their family.

“OK.” Papa Bird said with a sigh. “Mud is better for building a nest.”

“Haha!” laughed Raven. “You see? I was right! You may have your worm.”

Papa Bird then took the worm and darted back to his nest. And as he flew off he yelled, “Sticks are better!!”

Mother Bird began to worry more and more because now the egg was hopping all over the place! She knew any moment now that little chick will be out and about and Papa Bird wouldn’t be  here to see him. All of a sudden Papa Bird appeared tired and out of breath.

“Did I miss it?” he said.

“No” said Mother Bird with a smile. “You’re just in time”

Then with a couple more hops the shell of the egg crumpled away and there chirped their little hatchling.

“He’s perfect!” said Mother Bird “He looks just like his Papa Bird.”

“Yes, he does. Quick Mother Bird he looks hungry. I picked this worm just for him” he said with the biggest smile Mother Bird had ever seen.

The hatchling enjoyed his worm and Papa Bird was right, Mother Bird had to chew it up first but their baby ate every last bit of it.

The End