Parrot to the Rescue in Scottish Gaelic 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 Peadar. "Latha math! Càit an tèid sinn an-diugh?" squawked Peadar.
"Tha sinn a' dol dhan loch airson cuirm-chnuic," replied Jack.
	"Tiugainn dhan loch!" squawked Peadar. And with a big flap of the wings, he was off leading the way up the path.
"Tha e teth," said Lisa, wiping her face with her hand. "Feumaidh mi rudeigin òl." "Tha pathadh orm cuideachd," said Jack. "Càit a bheil an deoch-liomaid?"
Suddenly, something large swooped down from the sky towards Lisa. Lisa screamed, "Obh!! Cuidich! Cuidichibh mi!"
It was a ferocious magpie and she was on the attack. She thought they were too close to her nest.
"Dè tha dol?" cried Jack in alarm. "Thalla!" shouted Jack, flapping his arms around his head as the magpie targeted him. "Cuidichidh mi sibh!" squawked Peadar. 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 Peadar flying above. "Stad, a Pheadair!" called Lisa. "Tha sinn caillte! Càit a bheil an rathad? Chan urrainn dhuinn a lorg."
	"Lorgaidh mise dhuibh e!" squawked Peadar as he zoomed down through the trees and along the path. "Leanaibh mise!" he screeched.
"Air do shocair!" puffed Jack. "Cha tèid againn air itealaich mar thusa! Tha againn ri dhol tro na preasan," he called.
"Siud an loch! Mu dheireadh thall!" cried Lisa.
"Mòran taing airson do chuideachadh gu lèir, a Pheadair!" said Jack. "'Se ur beatha," replied Peadar, preening his feathers in embarrassment.
	They sat down beside the lake and started to set up their picnic.
First, they started with some fruit. Peadar called out as his favourite food appeared out of the backpack ...
"... peitseag, sùbhagan-làir, apracotan, banana, orainsear ..."
"... sirisean, peur, dearcan-fhìon ..."
Peadar eyed all the food with interest as it was placed on the picnic blanket. "Tha an t-acras mòr orm. Am faod mi seo fheuchainn, mas e do thoil e?" he asked, bobbing his head towards a slice of fruit cake.
...............	"Na ith e!" said Lisa, grabbing the cake. "Tha e còmhdaichte le seangan." She tried to brush all the ants off. It was difficult. "Tha na seangan acrach ..." said Jack. "Agus 's toil leotha cèic." "Na gabhaibh dragh!" squawked Peadar. "'S toil leam cèic agus 's toil leam seangan cuideachd!" Lisa raised her eyebrows at Jack. "Ugghhhh!" laughed Jack and Lisa together.
"An t-aran!" squawked Peadar. "Na chuimhnich thu an t-aran?" "Cuimhnich," replied Lisa. "Cha do dhìochuimhnich mi e." Peadar happily grabbed a chunk of bread in his beak.
"A bheil càis sam bith agad?" asked Jack. "Seadh! Seo e," replied Lisa as she pulled it out of the backpack. "Thoir dhomhsa sgian cuideachd, mas e do thoil e," he added. "Tapadh leat," mumbled Jack through a mouthful of cheese and bread. They all ate for a while, chatting and laughing together.
"A bheil sin gu leòr?" asked Lisa. "An gabh sibh tuilleadh?" "Cha gabh ... Tha mo stamag goirt. 'S docha gu robh cus ann dhomh," said Jack. "Cha tig gu brath!" squawked Peadar. They all laughed.
They spent the rest of the afternoon climbing trees, éploring and running around.
The sun was starting to get very low in the sky. "Tha e fàs anmoch," squawked Peadar. "Tha, tha againn ri dhol dhachaigh a-nis," 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.