The Barnyard Bird's Christmas

Technical note:  ATT has provided such useless service that my connection is reduced today to a dial-up modem I improvised without their help.  Sorry for the lack of a picture, but upload speed is so slow, I'm afraid the post would time out before it uploaded.  God bless us, every one.

Did I ever tell you the story of the little barnyard bird?

Once there was a little barnyard bird.  He lived and played all day around the barnyard flying around, sitting on the fences, drinking from the watering troughs, and enjoying his first summer on this beautiful wonderful earth.

But the summer began to fade, things began to change around the old barnyard.  The once-sunny skies were gray, the soft summer breezes grew more harsh and cold

"I can't leave my barnyard.  I've been so happy here, and I'm sure someday I'll be happy again" said the little bird. "But it's so cold here!  I'm shivering so much that I can hardly chirp!"  

And the days got colder still.  The barnyard bird paced in small circles on the floor of the cow-yard, shivering and chirping to himself about how very, very cold he was.  "Oh, what shall I do -- if only I could know a little warmth again" He sang a mournful and sad little bird song.

And then, as if in answer to his prayer, a huge cow-flop fell upon him, completely covering him in an abundant mess of  slimy brownish bovine offal.

A stunned silence.   Then the little barnyard bird poked his tiny head out through the top of the cow-pie, and realized how his life had just been changed in answer to his prayers. The first thing he discovered was that he was no longer cold.  He looked around himself in amazement.  The barnyard was still blowing with blustery winds, the bird was now protected from the sting of the wintery winds by the warmth of his surroundings.  "I may be covered in fresh manure, but at least I'm not freezing any more."  realized the bird. "And, there's even some corn in here"  he said, pecking at the delicacies he had just discovered in his new home.

The little barnyard bird was so happy, that he began tweeting a joyous little Christmas Birdie Song.  The cows in the yard tapped their hooves to the catchy little birdie ditty.  The barnyard pigs grunted in time with the joyous song of winter warmth rediscovered.  The barnyard cat opened an eye, and perked up an ear.  He said to himself, "Now, who can be singing the little Birdie Song so late in the season?"  And looking out at the barnyard, he spotted unlikely sight of the little bird's tiny chirping head poking out of the dung-pile.

The barnyard cat jumped to the top of the barnyard fence, and in a graceful arc, landed on the bird, and swallowed him in one gulp.

Thanks for listening and contributing. I'd love to hear from you.