In a big, green forest, where sunlight dappled through the leaves, lived a tiny wren and her even tinier babies. They had a cozy nest high up in an old oak tree.

One day, Mr. Bear was lumbering by. He was a very big bear, and sometimes, he wasn't very polite. He peeked into the wren's nest. "My, my," he grumbled, looking at the little featherless chicks, "what funny-looking little things!"

Mama Wren puffed up her feathers. "Funny-looking?" she chirped, her voice trembling with anger. "My babies are the most beautiful babies in the whole forest! How dare you say such a thing!"

Mr. Bear just chuckled, a deep rumble in his chest. "Oh, calm down, little bird," he said, not very nicely at all. "They still look funny to me."

This made Mama Wren even angrier. "You'll be sorry!" she declared. "This means war! All the birds and flying creatures will fight against you and your four-legged friends!"

Mr. Bear laughed. "War? With you, little fluffball?" But Mama Wren was serious. She flew off and called all her flying friends: eagles, owls, sparrows, bees, wasps, and even tiny gnats. "The Bear has insulted my children and all of us!" she cried. "We must teach him a lesson!"

Mr. Bear, hearing the buzzing and chirping, called his own army. The fox, the wolf, the deer, the boar, and all the animals with four legs gathered around him. "That silly little bird wants a fight," he told them. "Let's show her who's boss!"

The Bear chose the clever Fox to be his general. "Fox," he said, "find out their plan."
Mama Wren, being just as smart, sent a tiny Gnat to spy on the Bear's army. The Gnat was so small, no one noticed it buzzing near the Fox.

The Gnat listened carefully as the Fox told the Bear, "Here's the plan. When I raise my bushy tail high in the air, that's the signal for all our troops to charge and attack. If I lower my tail and tuck it between my legs, it means we must retreat."

The Gnat zipped back to Mama Wren as fast as its little wings could carry it. "I know their secret signal!" it buzzed excitedly.

Mama Wren gathered her flying army. "Listen carefully," she chirped. "The Fox will be their general. When he raises his tail to signal an attack, I want a brave Hornet to fly down and sting him right under it, as hard as possible!"
A big, stripy Hornet buzzed forward. "I'll do it, Queen Wren! Count on me!"

The next morning, the two armies faced each other across a wide meadow. The Bear felt very confident with his big, strong animals. The Fox, feeling very important, strutted to the front of the Bear's army. He took a deep breath and lifted his bushy red tail high in the air, ready to shout, "Attack!"

But before he could say a word, WHOOSH! The brave Hornet zoomed down like a tiny arrow and STING! It stung the Fox right on his tender spot under his raised tail.

"YEEEOOOWWW!" yelped the Fox. He dropped his tail so fast and tucked it tightly between his legs, his eyes wide with pain and surprise.

The Bear's army saw the tail go down. "The signal! Retreat! Retreat!" they shouted, even though the battle hadn't really started. They all turned and ran away, tumbling over each other in their hurry to escape. The Bear was very confused, but seeing everyone else run, he turned and ran too, as fast as his big legs could carry him.

Mama Wren and her flying friends cheered! They had won without even fighting a real battle! Her little babies chirped happily in their nest, safe and sound.

And from that day on, Mr. Bear learned to be a little more careful with his words, especially around tiny birds with very brave and clever friends. He never called anyone's babies "funny-looking" again.

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