On an extraordinary spring day, so magical that it transformed Greendale into a true paradise, Lily, a little girl full of kindness and generosity, felt the gentle caress of the spring sun on her skin. With a smile on her lips and a melody in her heart, she began the exhilarating walk home from school.
Of course, she saw the beauty in every blade of grass and every butterfly that strayed into her path, but on this day she came across something surprising. Right where the shadow of the majestic cypress tree – a silent but watchful guardian of her family – cast a dark cloak over the home garden, she discovered a small creature.
It was not an ordinary stone that a playful storm had thrown up, nor was it a forgotten toy from carefree days. No, Lily had discovered a naked baby thrush. The little chick had apparently made an unplanned emergency landing and fallen out of its nest.
The little bird was lying there, stretched out in the cool shade of the cypress tree, its little eyes tightly shut. It looked as if it had lost its way and was longing for its mother and a cozy nest. The thrush mother had not come for a long time and the thrush was lying all alone in the sand under the tree, threatening to die.
Lily’s heart ached as she saw the delicate, helpless bird. She reached out and whispered lovingly, “Don’t worry, little friend, I’ll help you.” She gently picked up the chick and held it in her warm hands to keep it warm. It was obvious that this was not going to be an ordinary day.
With the tiny thrush chick carefully balanced in her small hands, Lily tiptoed back into the house. As she opened the kitchen door, her eyes sparkled with new determination. She showed her mother the little find, which was quietly chirping and snuggling into Lily’s hand.
A wave of admiration washed over Lily’s mother as she looked at the little new arrival. Her eyes sparkled with excitement and her lips formed a delighted smile. She could hardly believe that she was seeing the small, helpless creature that was so trustingly cuddled in her daughter’s careful hands.
“Mom, can you please find me a small box?” she called to her mother Gabby, holding the small thrush in the palm of her hand.
Gabby, a woman who always had an open ear and was surrounded by a loving warmth, was happy to help. She brought a box and watched as Lily padded it with cotton wool. “And the red light lamp from the living room, Mom. I need that too,” Lily asked, and Gabby nodded in agreement.
“We’ll nurse this little bird back to health, won’t we, Lily?” Gabby asked as she handed the lamp to Lily. Lily nodded determinedly and placed the lamp next to the box.
“Now all we need is some water,” said Lily. Gabby brought a small syringe from the medicine cabinet. She filled it with water and handed it to Lily. Lily used the syringe to give the little thrush water and lovingly cared for it.
“Say good night, Mama,” said Lily, as she looked at the box with the little bird. “Good night, little bird,” whispered Gabby, before she turned off the light and left them alone. Each of them knew that they would do everything in their power to care for the little bird.
When the first rays of sunlight fell through the window the next morning, Lily could hardly wait to see the little thrush. With a thump in her heart, she carefully opened the box door.
“Look, Mama!” cried Lily, her face beaming with relief. “She made it through the night!”
The little bird lay still in the warm nest, its small, bare wings pressed tightly against its body. It was still very weak, its little body trembling slightly, and its eyes tightly closed. But its little chest rose and fell in a gentle, regular rhythm – a sign that it was still with them.
“Oh, you brave little bird!” Lily murmured tenderly, reaching out to gently stroke the little chick. “You’re so strong!”
With the same loving care as the day before, Lily took the syringe and gave the little thrush a few more drops of water. “There, drink that, it will help you.” She watched him lovingly as he swallowed the water before turning to her mother.
“I have to go to school now, Mom. Please take good care of him,” said Lily. Her mother nodded and gave her a loving pat on the shoulder.
“Don’t worry, Lily, we’ll take care of our little friend together,” Gabby promised as she watched her daughter leave the house. And with that loving care, another day of their unexpected bird-raising adventure began.
After school, Lily geared up for her next mission: creating a heavenly home for her little feathered friend. “Dad, I need your help,” she asked her father, who was known for his handyman skills.
“Sure, Lily. What do you have in mind?” her father asked, immediately realizing that his daughter was in an excited planning mode.
“I want to turn the boiler room into a bird world!” Lily announced with determination. Her father winced in surprise, then nodded and smiled. “That sounds like a great project!”
And so they set to work together. They cleared out the boiler room and transformed it into a beautiful miniature landscape. They filled the floor with soil and planted it with moss and grass, which they carefully took from the garden.
They even found a few branches and a small tree, which they placed in the corner to create the most natural environment possible for the little thrush. “It’s like a little nature park in our house, isn’t it, Dad?” said Lily, laughing.
Lily also made a new nest for her new pet, using soft straw and fluffy handkerchiefs to make it as cozy and inviting as possible.
With a proud smile, she looked at her work. “I think our little friend will love his new home,” she said, as she took the new nest in her hand and carefully placed it in the improvised tree.
With great enthusiasm and care, Lily finally completed Felix’s new kingdom. She carefully lifted the little bird out of its temporary nest and carried it to its new warm residence in the boiler room. “Welcome home, Felix,” she whispered as she placed the baby thrush in the fragrant, freshly made nest.
She had named him Felix, after the little fighter. It was probably the way he had bravely taken on the challenges that reminded her of the fearless, adventurous Felix the Fox from her favorite stories.
She didn’t yet know whether Felix was a boy or a girl, but that didn’t matter to Lily – Felix was her friend and she was determined to do everything in her power to help him. Each new day was another step on Felix’s road to recovery and another reason for Lily to be proud of her little feathered friend.
Lily was full of excitement when she bumped into her best friend Tim on the way to school the next day. “Tim!” she exclaimed as soon as she saw him. “You won’t believe what happened!”
Tim, who was known for his adventurous spirit and curiosity, raised an eyebrow in surprise. “What’s up, Lily?” he asked, a sparkle in his eyes.
“We rescued a baby thrush yesterday!” Lily replied proudly. “It’s so small and sweet, Tim. You have to come and see it after school!”
Tim’s eyes widened in excitement. “Really? Wow, that’s incredible! Of course I’ll come by, I really want to see how you’re taking care of him!” he promised.
With this promise, the two friends parted to begin their school day, but thoughts of the little, brave bird did not leave them all day.
When Tim first entered the boiler room, he was amazed. “Wow, Lily, you’ve created a real paradise for the bird here!” he exclaimed. He was visibly impressed by the small, detailed ecosystem that Lily had created on the floor of the boiler room.
He slowly walked through the boiler room, looking at everything with great curiosity. “Is that real topsoil?” he asked, feeling the soft ground under his fingers.
“Yes, and look here,” said Lily, pointing to a small puddle. “That’s a little pond for the thrush. And over there,” she pointed to a corner full of different plants, “that’s a little garden.”
Tim was also amazed at the feeding station that Lily had filled with various seeds. “You really thought of everything!” he praised his girlfriend, barely able to conceal his admiration.
“I just wanted the best for him,” Lily replied with a proud smile. And indeed, in this small space, a little paradise had been created that offered the thrush everything it needed to get well and survive. It was proof of Lily’s devotion and love for her little feathered friend.
It was time to feed Felix. Lily knew that a baby bird’s diet was very specific – they needed protein-rich food to grow and develop. And what could be better than earthworms?
Armed with a pitchfork, Lily set off in search of the wriggling little creatures. She stuck the fork into the lush, fresh turf and then shook it quickly and vigorously back and forth. The vibrations she created caused the worms to come to the surface – they probably thought it was going to rain, as rain causes similar vibrations in the ground.
Lily carefully collected the worms and took them to Felix. “Enjoy your meal, little friend,” she said as she placed the worms near him. She knew it might take a while before Felix would find the courage to eat on his own.
Lily watched as Felix, despite his best efforts, had difficulty eating the worms. His eyes were still closed and the worms were simply too big and too fast for the little thrush. The expression that even a blind chicken can find a grain of corn did not apply here.
“Poor Felix,” Lily murmured, “the worms are just too fat for you, aren’t they?” She watched as the little bird tried in vain to catch the worms wriggling next to him. But how could she help him?
Lily turned to her father for advice. “Dad, Felix is having trouble eating the worms. They’re too big and too fast for him. What should I do?”
Her father, who also liked to fish in his spare time and was therefore familiar with worms as bait, gave her some well-intentioned advice. “Maybe you could cut the worms into smaller pieces, Lily. That might make it easier for Felix to eat them.”
Lily looked at her father with wide-open eyes. “Dad, that’s so cruel! How can I do that?” She couldn’t imagine doing something like that. In her eyes, it seemed barbaric, even cruel.
Her father smiled gently and replied, “Lily, sometimes we have to do things that we don’t like to help others. Remember that this is quite normal in nature. Birds eat worms and other small animals to survive. It’s not nice, but it’s necessary.”
Lily was still skeptical, but she knew her father was right. She had to find a way to feed Felix. And if that meant chopping up the worms, then so be it. But she was determined to do the job as humanely as possible, to make it easier for Felix – and for herself.
With a heavy heart, Lily decided to do what her father had suggested. She took a small worm, closed her eyes and carefully cut it in half. She felt tears welling up in her eyes – she felt so sorry for the little worm.
“But it’s for Felix,” she murmured softly to herself, trying to calm herself. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes again.
Using a pair of tweezers, she took one of the pieces of worm and carefully approached Felix. The little bird seemed to recognize the scent of food. He opened his little beak and Lily placed the piece of worm inside.
Felix gobbled the piece of worm down quickly, apparently delighted with the tasty snack. Lily couldn’t help smiling as she saw Felix’s joy. “See, Felix? It wasn’t so bad,” she said gently to the bird, who still had his eyes closed and was looking for more food without a care in the world.
She took another piece of worm and repeated the process. It was still a strange feeling for her, but if it helped Felix and gave him pleasure, then it was worth it.
From then on, a special friendship developed between Lily and Felix – she was the caring guardian and he was the little survivor. The days passed and Lily’s life continued in a familiar rhythm. Every morning, after waking up and having breakfast, her first stop was the little piece of paradise in the boiler room to see how Felix was doing.
Then she went to school, where she told Tim enthusiastically about her morning adventures with Felix. More and more students became curious and wanted to know more about the brave little baby thrush.
Then, one morning, Lily noticed something amazing. As she greeted Felix as usual, she saw that his eyelids were moving. She held her breath and watched as they slowly opened to reveal two small, curious eyes. “Felix! You’ve opened your eyes!” she exclaimed.
But that wasn’t all. Felix’s little body was no longer naked, but covered with a down of soft, fluffy feathers. They were still small and thin, but they were there and growing every day.
And Felix began to explore his new world too. He waddled clumsily around, sometimes stumbling and flapping his tiny wings. Lily laughed and clapped her hands with joy. “Look at that, Felix! You’re starting to walk and fly!”
It was small but significant progress. Each day brought new surprises and new joys, and Lily could hardly wait to see what the next stage of Felix’s journey would bring.
Over the next few weeks, Felix’s fine down was replaced by a full set of feathers that shone in the sun. His wings were strong enough to lift him a few centimeters into the air, and his eyes sparkled with curiosity and strength.
And then, one day, Lily watched as Felix caught his first worms on his own. She had hidden them in an empty margarine tub with brown topsoil to give Felix a little test of skill. To her great delight, Felix passed the challenge.
When Lily opened the door to the boiler room after school, Felix would often be sitting on the edge of the margarine tub, looking up at her expectantly. His little body would be trembling with excitement, and as soon as he saw Lily, he would run towards her as if she were his mother.
“Hey, Felix!” Lily laughed and held out her hands to greet Felix. Each of these little meetings was a special moment of joy and happiness for her. It was a sign that Felix was becoming stronger and more independent – and that the loving care that Lily had given him was bearing fruit.
And then came the day when Felix was ready to take on his next big challenge: flying. Lily noticed that Felix was spreading his wings more and more often and making jerky movements as if he were trying to take off into the air.
“It looks like someone is ready to try out his wings,” said Lily with a laugh. She carefully took Felix in her hands and walked him out into the garden.
There, the flying exercises began. Lily held Felix on her flat hand and lowered it quickly to encourage him to use his wings. At first it was a bit wobbly, but after a few tries, Felix was able to stay in the air before landing safely on Lily’s palm.
“You’re doing great, Felix!” Lily praised her feathered friend. They repeated the game a few more times until Felix was so tired that he just wanted to sit on Lily’s hand and flap his wings.
But despite his exhaustion, Lily could see that Felix was proud of his progress – and so was she. It was another important milestone on their journey together, another step towards Felix’s independence. And for Lily, it was an unforgettable moment that she would treasure in her heart.
Soon, Felix was able to fly not only from Lily’s palm to the air, but also to the nearby branch of a tree. And then, almost as if by magic, he fluttered back and landed skillfully on Lily’s hand. Every time that happened, it was a magical experience for Lily.
Felix had become a fixture in Lily’s life, alongside school and homework. Whether she was playing with him, feeding him or just watching him practise his new flying skills, every minute with Felix was special.
Felix spent his nights in his own little kingdom in the boiler room, which Lily had lovingly designed for him. Here he could feel safe and comfortable, surrounded by familiar sounds and smells.
These were truly special times. The days that Lily and Felix spent together became precious memories that they would both treasure in their hearts. It was a time full of challenges and hard work, but also full of joy and magic.
The days passed and Felix’s flying skills improved steadily. From day to day, he could fly higher and further, and Lily always stood there with her mouth open, watching her little friend in his impressive flight and simply amazed.
“Felix, you’re amazing!” she would call out every time Felix returned to her after one of his flying exercises, gently stroking his feathers with her hand.
Lily was indescribably proud of what she and Felix had achieved together. She had found a new friend, not just any friend, but a feathered friend that she had saved and nurtured and who was now strong and healthy, ready to fly out into the world.
But no matter how far Felix flew, he always returned to Lily, and she greeted him each time with a broad smile and open arms. They were more than just a man and a bird – they were friends who had traveled an extraordinary journey through life together.
One day, Lily came home from school as usual. With her school bag still on her shoulder, she went straight to the boiler room and joyfully opened the door. Felix, who was always thrilled to see Lily, immediately shot towards her.
They were both happy to see each other again, and Lily made her way back to the kitchen, still dragging her school bag. Felix waddled excitedly behind her, his feathers ruffled with excitement.
In his excitement, Felix overtook Lily and ran right in front of her feet. Before Lily could react, the unthinkable happened: she accidentally stepped on Felix.
When Lily stepped on Felix, he squeaked in pain. She was horrified and could only watch as the little bird dragged himself to the corner next to the freezer.
“Oh no, Felix…” Lily’s voice trembled and she fought back the tears that were gathering in her eyes. She knelt down next to Felix and reached out to touch him, but she hesitated, afraid of causing him more pain.
At that moment, Lily felt completely helpless. She had accidentally hurt Felix, her little feathered friend whom she loved so much. She could only hope that he was strong enough to survive this accident.
Lily’s heart was breaking into a thousand pieces at the sight of Felix suffering. The tears she had held back until now broke free and she wept bitterly. With trembling hands, she gently picked Felix up and held him carefully in her hand.
He twitched a few more times, then he was still. Lily stared at the small, lifeless body in her hand and could hardly believe what had just happened. Felix, her brave little friend, was dead.
Lily’s mother hurried over when she heard her daughter’s heart-rending sobs and cries. She knelt down beside Lily and put her arm around her shoulders in a comforting gesture. “Oh, Lily…,” she murmured.
But it was too late. Felix could not be saved. Lily’s cry of joy had turned into tears of grief and the small boiler room, which had once been so full of life, was suddenly silent and empty.
Lily was devastated. She could not believe that Felix was no longer there. The advice and efforts of her family to comfort her could not alleviate the deep pain she felt. She had to find her own way to cope with the situation and to process the sadness.
She spent a lot of time alone, often in the small boiler room, which was now empty and silent. She thought about the happy moments she had shared with Felix, and also about the tragic accident that had ended his life.
It was the saddest day of her life and a day she would never forget. But even in her grief, Lily realized that she had learned an important lesson: life can be unpredictable and sometimes painful, but it goes on. And although Felix was no longer with her, he lived on in her memories.
Despite the loss, Lily ultimately looked back with gratitude on the time she had spent with Felix. She knew that she had brightened his life, and he had also influenced hers. She would always remember him with love and cherish the time they had spent together as a precious gift.
