Parrot to the Rescue in Greek 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 Petros. "Γειά σας! Που θα πάμε σήμερα;" squawked Petros.
"Θα πάμε εκδρομή στην λίμνη," replied Jack.
	"Ας πάμε στην λίμνη!" squawked Petros. And with a big flap of the wings, he was off leading the way up the path.
"Κάνει ζέστη," said Lisa, wiping her face with her hand. "Θέλω να πιώ κάτι." "Κ’εγώ διψώ," said Jack. "Πού είναι η λεμονάδα;"
Suddenly, something large swooped down from the sky towards Lisa. Lisa screamed, "Ο!! Βοήθεια! Βοηθήσε με!"
It was a ferocious magpie and she was on the attack. She thought they were too close to her nest.
"Τι συμβαίνει;" cried Jack in alarm. "Φύγε απ’εδώ!" shouted Jack, flapping his arms around his head as the magpie targeted him. "Θέλω να σας βοηθήσω!" squawked Petros. 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 Petros flying above. "Σταμάτα, Πέτρο!" called Lisa. "Χαθήκαμε! Πού είναι το μονοπάτι; Δεν μπορούμε να το βρούμε."
	"Μπορώ να το βρω για σας!" squawked Petros as he zoomed down through the trees and along the path. "Ακολουθείστε με!" he screeched.
"Σιγά, σιγά!" puffed Jack. "Εμείς δεν μπορούμε να πετούμε σαν και! Πρέπει να περάσουμε μέσα από τους θάμνους," he called.
"Να η λίμνη! Επιτέλους!" cried Lisa.
"Σ’ευχαριστούμε για τη βοήθεια, Πέτρο!" said Jack. "Ευχαρίστως," replied Petros, preening his feathers in embarrassment.
	They sat down beside the lake and started to set up their picnic.
First, they started with some fruit. Petros called out as his favourite food appeared out of the backpack ...
"… ένα ροδάκινο, φράουλες, βερύκοκα, μια μπανάνα, ένα πορτοκάλι …"
"… κεράσια, ένα αχλάδι, σταφύλια …"
Petros eyed all the food with interest as it was placed on the picnic blanket. "Πεινώ πάρα πολύ. Να το δοκιμάσω, σε παρακαλώ; " he asked, bobbing his head towards a slice of fruit cake.
...............	"Μην το φας!" said Lisa, grabbing the cake. "Είναι γεμάτο με μυρμήγκια." She tried to brush all the ants off. It was difficult. "Τα μυρμήγκια πεινούν ..." said Jack. "Και τους αρέσει το γλυκό." "Μην στεναχωριέστε!" squawked Petros. "Μου αρέσουν το γλυκό και τα μυρμήγκια!" Lisa raised her eyebrows at Jack. "Ugghhhh!" laughed Jack and Lisa together.
"Το ψωμί!" squawked Petros. "Μήπως θυμήθηκες το ψωμί;" "Ναι," replied Lisa. "Δεν το ξέχασα." Petros happily grabbed a chunk of bread in his beak.
"Έχεις λίγο τυρί; " asked Jack. "Μάλιστα! Εδώ είναι," replied Lisa as she pulled it out of the backpack. "Δώσε μου το μαχαίρι, σε παρακαλώ," he added. "Σ’ευχαριστώ," mumbled Jack through a mouthful of cheese and bread. They all ate for a while, chatting and laughing together.
"Είναι αρκετό; " asked Lisa. "Θέλετε ακόμη λίγο;" "Όχι … έχω πόνο στο στομάχι. Ίσως να ήταν πάρα πολύ," said Jack. "Ποτέ!" squawked Petros. 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. "Είναι αργά," squawked Petros. "Ναι, πρέπει να γυρίσουμε σπίτι τώρα," 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.