Parrot to the Rescue in Ido 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 Payo. "Saluto! Adube ni iras hodie?" squawked Payo.
"Ni iras al lago por piknikar," replied Jack.
	"Ni irez al lago!" squawked Payo. And with a big flap of the wings, he was off leading the way up the path.
"Esas varmege," said Lisa, wiping her face with her hand. "Me bezonas drinkajo." "Anke me durstas," said Jack. "Ube esas la limonado?"
Suddenly, something large swooped down from the sky towards Lisa. Lisa screamed, "Ay!! Helpo! Helpez me!"
It was a ferocious magpie and she was on the attack. She thought they were too close to her nest.
"Quo eventas?" cried Jack in alarm. "Forirez!" shouted Jack, flapping his arms around his head as the magpie targeted him. "Me helpos vi!" squawked Payo. 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 Payo flying above. "Haltez, Payo!" called Lisa. "Ni esas perdita! Ube esas la voyeto? Ni ne povas trovar ol."
	"Me povas trovar ol por vi!" squawked Payo as he zoomed down through the trees and along the path. "Sequez me!" he screeched.
"Plu lente!" puffed Jack. "Ni ne povas flugar quale tu! Ni devas irar tra la busho," he called.
"Yen la lago! Fine!" cried Lisa.
"Danko pro tua helpo, Payo!" said Jack. "Ne dankinde," replied Payo, preening his feathers in embarrassment.
	They sat down beside the lake and started to set up their picnic.
First, they started with some fruit. Payo called out as his favourite food appeared out of the backpack ...
"... persiko, fragi, abrikoti, banano, oranjo ..."
"... cerizi, piro, vitberi ..."
Payo eyed all the food with interest as it was placed on the picnic blanket. "Me tre hungras. Ka me povus gustumar to, me pregas?" he asked, bobbing his head towards a slice of fruit cake.
...............	"Ne manjez ol!" said Lisa, grabbing the cake. "Ol esas kovrita de formiki." She tried to brush all the ants off. It was difficult. "La formiki hungras ..." said Jack. "Ed oli prizas kuko." "Ne desquietesez!" squawked Payo. "Me prizegas kuko e mi prizegas anke formiki!" Lisa raised her eyebrows at Jack. "Ugghhhh!" laughed Jack and Lisa together.
"La pano!" squawked Payo. "Ka tu memoris la pano?" "Yes," replied Lisa. "Me ne obliviis ol." Payo happily grabbed a chunk of bread in his beak.
"Ka tu havas fromajo?" asked Jack. "Certe! Yen," replied Lisa as she pulled it out of the backpack. "Bonvole donez a me kultelo anke," he added. "Danko," mumbled Jack through a mouthful of cheese and bread. They all ate for a while, chatting and laughing together.
"Kad esas sat multa manjajo?" asked Lisa. "Ka vi volas plu multo?" "No ... Me havas stomakdolori. Forsan esis tro multo," said Jack. "Tote ne!" squawked Payo. 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. "Esas tarde," squawked Payo. "Yes, ni mustas nun irar adheme," 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.