Autumn had passed, winter was approaching. All the birds began to fly south. Only one little bird was left behind. It had a broken wing.
“Farewell! We’ll meet in spring,” said the birds. The little bird sighed. It said, “Oh dear! Oh dear! I need a home for the winter. If I can reach those trees, perhaps, they will help me.”
It was very cold with the frost and snow falling steadily.
The first tree that the bird saw was a Birch. It took a deep breath and pleasantly asked, “Oh, dear beautiful Birch, my wing is broken. May I take shelter in your branches?”
“For how long do you wish to stay?” The Birch asked the bird.
“Just until spring,” answered the bird.
“Oh dear! That’s too long. Sorry!” The Birch replied.
“Birch, it’s all right,” replied the bird. “Perhaps, the mighty Oak will help me!”
When the bird reached the Oak, it took a deep breath and politely asked, “Oh, dear mighty Oak, my wing is broken. May I take shelter in your branches until my friends return?”
“Oh dear! Dear me no!” The Oak sighed. “You’re a restless bird; you’ll move around and disturb me throughout the winter!
“Oak, it’s all right,” replied the bird. “Perhaps, the kind Willow will help me.”
When the bird reached the Willow, it took a deep breath and politely said, “Oh, dear kind Willow, my wing is broken. May I take shelter in your branches until my friends return in spring?”
“Oh dear! Oh dear!” The Willow said. “I don’t know you. However, I’m sure you’ll find a few trees somewhere in this forest! that’ll take in strange birds!”
The poor bird was just about to give up looking for shelter. It heard a gentle voice calling, “Little bird, where are you going?”
“Oh dear! Oh dear! I really don’t know!” said the bird, truthfully. “I’m very sad and cold.”
“Come, climb up to one of my branches,” said the soft voice. “I’m the Spruce tree. You can live on my warmest branch all winter, if you choose to.”
The bird said, “Oh dear, oh, dear, how can I thank you enough?”
“It’s time at least one tree helped you, I will keep the cold wind away from you,” said the Pine tree.
Yet, another voice called out and said, “I can also help you.”
“Oh dear, oh, dear, who is that?” The bird asked.
The tree answered, “It is I, the Juniper. I can give you berries all winter long. Birds like you, love my berries.”
“Oh dear, oh, dear, of course we do!” The bird exclaimed in a happy tone.
The Spruce gave the lonely little bird a home. The Pine protected it from the cold North Wind. The Juniper gave it berries to eat. These trees spread some evergreen empathy towards the little bird. That’s why the leaves of the Spruce, Pine and Juniper are always green.
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