Minutes passed and Riley hardly dared to breathe. Was someone else in the house? She listened but heard nothing. There is a time in the life of every three-year-old when curiosity wins the arm wrestle with fear and this was Riley’s time. Slowly, quietly (if three-year-olds ever really CAN do anything quietly) she climbed out of the cupboard and peered around the corner to the offending room. There was no one there. Let us correct that statement and say that there was no PERSON there.

Over in the corner, in a white cage, stood a very big, red bird. Riley crept towards the cage, and nearly jumped from her skin when she heard the words, “What are you looking at?” come from that very cage. “Have you never seen a bird before?” Riley gathered up her pride and retorted, “Of COURSE I have seen a bird before!!! I have just never seen a TALKING bird before!!! How did you wearn to talk?” “Well,” he replied, “people taught me, only they didn’t know it because I NEVER talk in front of people….unless they happen to be three years old. That’s OK. When they turn four, they forget, anyway. ” “You are the SILLIEST bird I ever saw!” chided Riley, hands on her hips. “I may be silly, but at least I am home, and you are not!”. Riley knew he was right. She was missing her Granny and had no idea how to get home to her. “And,” continued the bird, “When the three bears get home, they are going to be mighty hungry and, well, I’d think about getting out of here if I were you.” She hadn’t thought about that. What if the three bears came home and found her there. They had been pretty upset with Goldilocks when they found her. She needed to think. Before her brain could sort things out, though, the sound of voices echoed through the yard. “Quick!” said the red bird, “Upstairs!” You can hide beneath one of the beds. Let me out of my cage and I’ll show you where.” That is exactly what she did.