After dividing the children into small groups to work on various projects, Ethan moved his and Jason's chairs over to sit near Traci and Uuffi.
"We gonna teach Uuffi to read today?" Traci asked.
"Well, maybe we ought to start with colors first," Ethan decided. "Here, Uuffi, here's a red ball--and here's a blue ball." He took two small balls from his pocket and put them on the seat of Uuffi's chair.
Uuffi raised his crest, "Balls look like Uuffi feathers--Uuffi feathers--squa---" He shut his beak with a sudden snap as he remembered he'd promised not to squawk in the classroom. "Uuffi not squawk--not squawk," he said, lowering his crest.
"Yes, Uuffi, thank you for remembering," Ethan smiled.
"Uuffi," Traci pointed to the blue ball, "see, this one's blue, just like the feathers on your back." She held the ball close to his back.
Craning his neck around to see the ball on his back, he pronounced, "Ball pretty--pretty--Uuffi pretty--pretty." He bobbed up and down.
Ethan grinned, "Uuffi, what color is that ball?"
The a-a looked at the ball and then at his deep velvety blue feathers. "Uuffi back ball--back ball."
"Uuffi's back is blue and the ball is blue," Ethan said. "Your back and the ball are blue."
"Uuffi, what color's this ball?" Traci took the red one and held it up closer to the a-a.
He looked down at his bright crimson chest feathers. "Uuffi chest ball--chest ball."
"It's red, Uuffi" Traci informed him.
"Uuffi," said Ethan taking both balls, "this ball's the same color as your back--blue. And this ball's the same color as your chest--red."
"Uuffi red--Uuffi blue--red blue--red blue--Uuffi pretty--pretty!" He bobbed up and down faster this time. Jason giggled as he watched the a-a perform, so Uuffi, ever ready for an appreciative audience, held his wings partway out from his body while he bobbed. Traci frowned.
"Uuffi, which ball is blue?" Ethan asked as he held out the balls side by side.
The colorful a-a stopped bobbing and considered the balls, then reached over and took the blue ball carefully in his beak. He swiveled his head and held the ball lightly against his back. Talking while still holding the ball, he said, "Uuffi back ball--back ball--back blue--blue."
The two human chicks delighted him by clapping their hands. Traci blew Uuffi a kiss, "Uuffi, you're a smart bird!"
Uuffi gave the ball back to Ethan, then bobbed up and down, "Uuffi smart--smart--Uuffi pretty--pretty--Uuffi red blue--red blue!" And he bounced faster and faster until he almost fell off the chair back in his excitement. Suddenly he realized he'd better fly out the window, so he launched himself toward the window. As he flew out, he heard little Jason giggle, "Oh, oh! He hasta poop!"
The a-a landed on a tree branch, waggled his tail from side to side, then thrust out his rear end so his poop would fall away from the branch. He gripped the branch tightly, then swung upside down and looked down at where his poop had fallen. "Uuffi feed tree--feed tree--tree say thank you--say thank you!" But the tree just rustled its leaves in the slight breeze.
Swinging upright again, Uuffi began to preen himself. As he sorted through the feathers on his back to find those pesky pin feathers, he thought, Uuffi go to school--to school--now Uuffi smart--Uuffi smart--Traci say Uuffi smart--Uuffi smart. Finished with his preening, he shook himself and then looked all around. Learning all about poop and red and blue was hard work. A good time and place for a nap. He tucked his head into his blue back feathers and closed his eyes. |