Parrot to the Rescue in Bislama by Mia Bowen Copyright © 2014. All Rights Reserved
	Jack and Lisa were on school holidays, but it hadn't been a fun holidays yet. It had been raining every day!
"Look!" cried Jack, pointing out the window. "Finally the sun is out!" "Why don't you go on a picnic? You can spend all day outside," suggested Mum.
	First they went down to the shed to find Pit. "Halo! Bae yumitrifala go wea tedei?" squawked Pit.
"Bae yumitrifala go piknik long lek," replied Jack.
	"Ale yumitrifala go long lek!" squawked Pit. And with a big flap of the wings, he was off leading the way up the path.
"Ples i hot," said Lisa, wiping her face with her hand. "Mi wantem dring wan samting." "Mi tosta tu," said Jack. "Wea limonat?"
Suddenly, something large swooped down from the sky towards Lisa. Lisa screamed, "Awe!! Help! Helpem mi!"
It was a ferocious magpie and she was on the attack. She thought they were too close to her nest.
"Wanem i hapen?" cried Jack in alarm. "Go longwe!" shouted Jack, flapping his arms around his head as the magpie targeted him. "Bae mi helpem yutufala!" squawked Pit. He chased the magpie high up into the tree, while Jack and Lisa disappeared down the path.
	They ran and ran and ran until they were out of breath ... "Slow down!" cried Lisa. "I think we're lost! I can't see the way to the lake any more."
Lisa looked up into the sky and saw Pit flying above. "Stop, Pit!" called Lisa. "Mitufala lus ya! Wea nao rod? Mitufala no save faenem."
	"Bae mi faenem blong yutufala!" squawked Pit as he zoomed down through the trees and along the path. "Folem mi!" he screeched.
"Slo daon!" puffed Jack. "Mitufala no save flae olsem yu! Mitufala mas pas tru long bus," he called.
"Lek long we! Yumitrifala kasem nao!" cried Lisa.
"Tangkiu long yu, Pit!" said Jack. "Yu welkam," replied Pit, preening his feathers in embarrassment.
	They sat down beside the lake and started to set up their picnic.
First, they started with some fruit. Pit called out as his favourite food appeared out of the backpack ...
"... wan pij, stroberi, eprikot, wan banana, wan orenj ..."
"... ol jeri, wan pea, ol greps ..."
Pit eyed all the food with interest as it was placed on the picnic blanket. "Mi hanggre we. Mi save traem, plis?" he asked, bobbing his head towards a slice of fruit cake.
...............	"No kakae!" said Lisa, grabbing the cake. "Ol anis i go long hem." She tried to brush all the ants off. It was difficult. "Ol anis oli hanggre ..." said Jack. "Afta oli laekem kek." "No wari!" squawked Pit. "Mi laekem kek mo mi laekem ol anis tu!" Lisa raised her eyebrows at Jack. "Ugghhhh!" laughed Jack and Lisa together.
"Heh bred!" squawked Pit. "Yu karem bred ya?" "Yes," replied Lisa. "Mi no forgetem." Pit happily grabbed a chunk of bread in his beak.
"Yu gat jis?" asked Jack. "Yes! Hemia," replied Lisa as she pulled it out of the backpack. "Givim mi wan naef, plis," he added. "Ta," mumbled Jack through a mouthful of cheese and bread. They all ate for a while, chatting and laughing together.
"Inaf ya?" asked Lisa. "Yutufala wantem sam moa?" "No ... Bel blong mi i soa. Ating mi kakae tumas ya," said Jack. "Neva!" squawked Pit. They all laughed.
They spent the rest of the afternoon climbing trees, exploring and running around.
The sun was starting to get very low in the sky. "I leit nao," squawked Pit. "Yes, yumitrifala mas go hom nao," said Jack.
They packed up their things and headed home down the path away from the lake .... tired, happy and not the slightest bit hungry. Soon they could see the roof of their house through the trees. It was good to be home.
...............	Magpie was happy to be alone again. She was even happier when she discovered some bread they had left behind.