There was a bird who fell in love with a whale, and a whale who fell in love with a bird. The bird loved the whale’s beautiful smile and how she swam so gracefully in the water. The whale adored the bird’s shiny white feathers and enjoyed watching him fly high in the sky. They both loved eating tiny fish together.
All summer long, the bird and the whale met in the bay. They talked about the moon, the stars, and the ships that sailed on the ocean. The bird told funny jokes that made the whale laugh, and the whale sang lovely songs that touched the bird’s heart, even if he didn’t know why.
“One day, you could meet my family in the ocean,” said the whale.
“And you could meet my friends on the land,” said the bird.
Everything seemed perfect, but as time passed, summer turned into autumn, and then winter. The ocean became cold, and all the other whales left for warmer waters.
“Come with me to warmer waters,” said the whale. “It’s a wonderful place. It’s always warm, and there are so many fish to eat.”
“I love to eat fish,” said the bird. “And I love you. I will follow you anywhere. But first, teach me to be a whale?”
“Like this!” said the whale. “Follow me!” and she dove deep into the water.
“OK!” said the bird, and he also dove deep into the water. Deeper and deeper he went.
“I’m swimming!” he laughed. “I’m a whale!”
But soon, the bird couldn’t breathe and had to return to the surface, gasping for air. He tried again and again, but he ran out of breath every time.
“I don’t think a bird can become a whale,” said the bird.
“Come with me instead! I live up on the cliffs. It’s a wonderful place. It’s warm and cozy, and every morning you can watch the sunrise.”
“I love to watch the sunrise,” said the whale. “And I love you. I will follow you anywhere. But first, teach me to be a bird?”
“Like this!” said the bird. “Follow me!” and he flapped his wings and soared into the sky.
“OK!” said the whale. She squeezed her eyes shut and flapped her fins, just like the bird. She flapped and flapped, splashing water everywhere!
“I’m flying!” she laughed. “I’m a bird!”
But when she opened her eyes, she wasn’t soaring in the sky; she was still in the water. She tried again and again, but she could not fly.
“I don’t think a whale can become a bird,” said the whale.
“But if you can’t fly, and I can’t swim, where can we live together?” asked the bird.
“We will stay here — in the waves!” said the whale.
But the bird shook his head sadly.
“You love to swim deep in the ocean,” he said. “That is your favorite thing to do. You would never be happy here.”
The whale sighed.
“And you love to fly and soar into the sky,” she said. “That is your favorite thing to do. You would never be happy here either.”
And so, because the bird and whale loved each other so much, they said goodbye. But they never forgot each other. Every time the whale saw a bird flying high in the sky, she thought of her bird and hoped he was enjoying the skies. And every time the bird saw a whale diving deep in the ocean, he thought of his whale and hoped she was enjoying the ocean.
Bird and Whale Observations: Go outside and observe the birds in your neighborhood. What do they do? How do they move? Then, if you live near water or have access to videos, watch whales or fish. How do they move differently from birds? Draw a picture of a bird and a whale, showing how each one moves in their environment. Discuss with a friend or family member why birds and whales are suited to their habitats.
Role-Playing Game: Pretend to be a bird and a whale with a friend. One of you can be the bird, flapping your arms like wings and pretending to fly. The other can be the whale, moving your arms like fins and pretending to swim. Take turns and talk about what you see in the sky or the ocean. How do you feel when you are flying or swimming? What do you like about being a bird or a whale?
Creative Storytelling: Imagine you are a bird or a whale who wants to visit a different habitat. Write a short story or draw a comic strip about your adventure. What challenges do you face? How do you solve them? Share your story with your class or family and discuss what makes each animal special in its own environment.
**The Bird and the Whale**
*(An original tale by TheFableCottage.com)*
Once there was a bird who fell in love with a whale, and a whale who fell in love with a bird. The bird admired the whale’s beautiful smile and the way she swam gracefully through the water. The whale loved the bird’s handsome white feathers and enjoyed watching him soar through the sky. They both shared a fondness for eating tiny fish.
All summer, the bird and the whale met in the bay, where they talked about the moon, the stars, and the ships on the ocean. The bird told jokes that made the whale laugh, while the whale sang beautiful songs that moved the bird deeply, even if he didn’t understand why.
“One day, you could meet my family in the ocean,” said the whale.
“And you could meet my friends on the land,” said the bird.
Everything seemed perfect, but the world continued to turn, and summer turned into autumn, then winter. The ocean grew cold, and all the other whales left for warmer waters.
“Come with me to warmer waters,” said the whale. “It’s a wonderful place. It’s always warm, and there are so many fish to eat.”
“I love to eat fish,” said the bird. “And I love you. I will follow you anywhere. But first, teach me to be a whale?”
“Like this!” said the whale. “Follow me!” and she dove deep into the water.
“OK!” said the bird, and he also dove deep into the water. Deeper and deeper he went.
“I’m swimming!” he laughed. “I’m a whale!”
But soon he couldn’t breathe and returned to the surface, gasping. He tried again and again, but he ran out of breath every time.
“I don’t think a bird can become a whale,” said the bird.
“Come with me instead! I live up on the cliffs. It’s a wonderful place. It’s warm and cozy, and every morning you can watch the sunrise.”
“I love to watch the sunrise,” said the whale. “And I love you. I will follow you anywhere. But first, teach me to be a bird?”
“Like this!” said the bird. “Follow me!” and he flapped his wings and soared into the sky.
“OK!” said the whale. She squeezed her eyes shut and flapped her fins, just like the bird. She flapped and flapped, splashing water everywhere!
“I’m flying!” she laughed. “I’m a bird!”
But when she opened her eyes, she wasn’t soaring in the sky; she was still in the water. She tried again and again, but she could not fly.
“I don’t think a whale can become a bird,” said the whale.
“But if you can’t fly, and I can’t swim, where can we live together?” asked the bird.
“We will stay here — in the waves!” said the whale.
But the bird shook his head sadly.
“You love to swim deep in the ocean,” he said. “That is your favorite thing to do. You would never be happy here.”
The whale sighed.
“And you love to fly and soar into the sky,” she said. “That is your favorite thing to do. You would never be happy here either.”
And so, because the bird and whale loved each other so much, they said goodbye. But they never forgot each other. Every time the whale saw a bird flying high in the sky, she thought of her bird and hoped he was enjoying the skies. And every time the bird saw a whale diving deep in the ocean, he thought of his whale and hoped she was enjoying the ocean.
