Parrot to the Rescue in Esperanto 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 Peĉjo. "Saluton! Kien ni iras hodiaŭ?" squawked Peĉjo.
"Ni iras al la lago por pikniki," replied Jack.
	"Ni iru al la lago!" squawked Peĉjo. And with a big flap of the wings, he was off leading the way up the path.
"Estas varmege," said Lisa, wiping her face with her hand. "Mi bezonas trinkaĵon." "Ankaŭ mi soifas," said Jack. "Kie estas la limonado?"
Suddenly, something large swooped down from the sky towards Lisa. Lisa screamed, "Aj!! Helpon! Helpu min!"
It was a ferocious magpie and she was on the attack. She thought they were too close to her nest.
"Kio okazas?" cried Jack in alarm. "Foriru!" shouted Jack, flapping his arms around his head as the magpie targeted him. "Mi helpos vin!" squawked Peĉjo. 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 Peĉjo flying above. "Haltu, Peĉjo!" called Lisa. "Ni estas vojerarintaj! Kie estas la vojeto? Ni ne povas trovi ĝin."
	"Mi povas trovi ĝin por vi!" squawked Peĉjo as he zoomed down through the trees and along the path. "Sekvu min!" he screeched.
"Pli malrapide!" puffed Jack. "Ni ne povas flugi kiel vi! Ni devas iri tra la veprejo," he called.
"Jen la lago! Finfine!" cried Lisa.
"Dankon pro via helpo, Peĉjo!" said Jack. "Ne dankinde," replied Peĉjo, preening his feathers in embarrassment.
	They sat down beside the lake and started to set up their picnic.
First, they started with some fruit. Peĉjo called out as his favourite food appeared out of the backpack ...
"... persiko, fragoj, abrikotoj, banano, oranĝo ..."
"... ĉerizoj, piro, vinberoj ..."
Peĉjo eyed all the food with interest as it was placed on the picnic blanket. "Mi tre malsatas. Ĉu mi povus gustumi tion, mi petas?" he asked, bobbing his head towards a slice of fruit cake.
...............	"Ne manĝu ĝin!" said Lisa, grabbing the cake. "Ĝi estas kovrita de formikoj." She tried to brush all the ants off. It was difficult. "La formikoj malsatas ..." said Jack. "Kaj plaĉas al ili kuko." "Ne zorgu!" squawked Peĉjo. "Mi ŝategas kukon kaj mi ŝategas ankaŭ formikojn!" Lisa raised her eyebrows at Jack. "Ugghhhh!" laughed Jack and Lisa together.
"La panon!" squawked Peĉjo. "Ĉu vi memoris la panon?" "Jes," replied Lisa. "Mi ne forgesis ĝin." Peĉjo happily grabbed a chunk of bread in his beak.
"Ĉu vi havas formaĝon?" asked Jack. "Certe! Jen," replied Lisa as she pulled it out of the backpack. "Bonvolu doni al mi tranĉilon ankaŭ," he added. "Dankon," mumbled Jack through a mouthful of cheese and bread. They all ate for a while, chatting and laughing together.
"Ĉu estas sufiĉe da manĝaĵo?" asked Lisa. "Ĉu vi volas pli?" "Ne ... Mi havas stomakdoloron. Eble estis tro," said Jack. "Absolute ne!" squawked Peĉjo. 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. "Estas malfrue," squawked Peĉjo. "Jes, ni devas nun iri hejmen," 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.