March 22, 2021
World Sparrow Day
On the occasion of World Sparrow Day 2021 an extract from 'More Magic at Ferns and Blooms' chapter 18:
"Mandy sat in the shade of the Neem tree in Ankush’s small garden busy writing a poem in her leather bound diary. She was keenly watching a family of sparrows hopping around talking to each other in their birdie language. A few of them were pecking the grains of rice Ankush’s mother had put for them in a small plate on the flat gatepost top, in the shade of the tree. One bold, tiny sparrow flew closer up to Mandy, sat on the wall and began chirping to her. Mandy laughed and began scribbling in her diary:
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“Ickle-Pickle- doodle-do
Little Birdie, how do you do?
Look at my dress blue and new
Would you like to have one too?
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“Cheep... Cheep...!” chirped the little sparrow on the wall, craning his head to see what Mandy was doing.
“That’s a sparrow!” said Sunny dropping the striker and getting up to see the birds chirping.
“Sunny... you get back here! You’ll spoil the game. Sit down!” scolded Richa.
“I don’t want to play. I want to see the sparrows!” yelled Sunny as he ran to join Mandy under the Neem tree."
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Image Courtesy: The Hindu