“Yes, yes a large lady holding a torch, she'll guide you right to the park, once there you'll find the Wise Owl and he'll tell you how to become a boy. Ok all done, on your way now little bird”.
“Thank you Mr Snake, I shall wait for my parents and tell them before I set off'”.
“No! Erm I mean, listen child you'll need to leave now otherwise your chance to catch the winds may be over sooner than you realise. You go, collect your things quickly, I’ll stay back and tell your parents the wonderful news”.
“You'd do that for me? Thank you, you're such a good snake”
“Yesssss”. Mr Snake replied, slowly giggling to himself.
8
“No... Wait!” Fibh screamed “I'm sorry, please... Please tell me more?”
“Well if you insist. Well now, let me see... Hmmm” Mr Snake pretended to be in deep thought. “You’ll need to travel?”.
“I can do that” Fibh said “I've flown all the way around the MacDougalls lands”.
“Very good, but you’ll have to leave tonight, in order for you to reach your destination”
“Where are you sending me?” Fibh asked.
“To the Wise Owl, in A M E R I C A!”.
“America!” Fibh exclaimed
“But that’s, that’s so far away?”.
6
“Well, do you want to become a boy? Or are you just wasting my time?”.
“No, no sorry, please carry on oh wise Mr Snake” Fibh replied.
“Good” Mr Snake replied. “You’ll need to set off tonight to catch the right winds which will take you all the way to America, once there you need to find Central Park”.
“Central Park?” Fibh asked.
“Don’t interrupt me!”.
“Sorry” Fibh whispered.
“Now where was I?' Mr Snake said “Yes that’s right, Central Park. Now you'll need to look out for a large lady”.
“A large lady” Fibh whispered to himself.
7
Fibhs eyes lit up. Mr Snake was sure he was onto something. “You don’t mind me asking little bird, what is it that you see in these humans anyway?”
Fibh replied “I, I just think they live an amazing life, full of happiness and full of fun and games. I just wish I could be part of it, somehow, some way”.
Mr Snake, at that point realised “Are you telling me that you want to become a human? A boy?”.
“Well, that’s just silly' Fibh replied, not convincingly “Everyone knows that’s not possible”.
But it was too late, Mr Snake had realised it was true, he could see it in young Fibhs eyes, the desire and longing to be part of that party. He saw his chance now to finally rid this bird and his family from HIS tree
4
“I know how it can be done” Mr Snake said in a longing tone.
“How what can be done” Fibh responded.
“Too be come HUMAN!”. Mr Snake said in a long drawn out cry.
Fibh gasped, and thought.. “What.. This Snake can tell me how I can become a human?... This is what I have waited for all my life....”
“You see, I have travelled the world and met many mysterious creatures and seen miracles happen before my very eyes. I can help you, become a boy”.
Fibh hesitaanlty replied “You're... You're only playing with me, aren't you?. It's just a bit of fun?”.
“FUN?' Mr Snake cried... “I don’t do fun, but if you don’t want to know the secret then I’ll carry on with my day. Good evening”.
5
While Fibh was watching instensley, Mr Snake had returned the night before and slipped up to the top branch unnoticed to go to sleep. He awoke to the noise being created by Seamus's party.
“Interesting” whispered Mr Snake as he watched the children in the castle having fun.
He could hear a small bird chirping away with the music coming from the party, he peered down over his branch to see Fibhs beak sticking out of the nest, wings up under his chin, just watching in awe at the amazing spectacle of dance and play.
Mr Snake found this odd. A bird watching humans? This seemed like a good opportunity to introduce himself to Fibh. He slid down the tree, meandering through the branches, until finally Fibh saw Mr Snake coming towards him. Fibh got worried and got ready to fly.
2
“Don’t worry, little bird” Mr Snake said. “I'm not going to eat you” and smiled as he said under his breathe “Although I did eat your siblings, for which I'm eternally grateful to your parents for”.
“What do you want?” Fibh said “Keep away from me, I'm warning you!”.
“Warning me?” Mr Snake said. “You have nothing to fear little bird, I'm only here to give you some advise”.
“Advice? What's that then?” Fibh replied.
“I saw the way you were watching the family, over there” as Mr Snake pointed towards the party.
“And?” Fibh was curious now.
“It's just that you..... Well I should say I could see that you wanted to be a part of that party? Be a part of the fun and games?” Mr Snake said in a sneaky, enquisitive voice.
3
Chapter 7
r Snake Returns
t was Fibhs 4th Birthday. “You're a grown bird now, my son” said Papa “Soon you'll be able to leave the nest and take the nest big step in your life and maybe even
start your own family one day”.
“Thanks Papa, I feel much bigger than just a bird!”
That evening on Fibhs 4th birthday, Fibh saw hundreds of guest arriving into the MacDougalls castle. “I wonder, what’s going on here?” Fibh thought.
They were laughing and joking, while carrying presents. Fibh flew back into his nest to get a better view. It turned out to be Seamus's 18th Birthday Party.
“Oh, wow” Fibh was delighted, as he watched them dance, play games, give gifts and eat plenty of wondrous foods.
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