Mama Swallow was looking for the perfect spot. Not just any spot, but the *best* spot to build her nest. She flew high and low, over fields and trees, until she saw it: a big, important building right in the middle of town. "Aha!" she chirped. "This building looks very safe. Lots of people go in and out. Surely, no harm can come to my babies here."

So, she gathered twigs, soft feathers, and bits of mud. Twig by twig, mud blob by mud blob, she built a cozy, round nest high up under the roof of the big building. It was a place where people came to talk about rules and make sure everyone was treated fairly.

Soon, Mama Swallow laid her tiny, speckled eggs. She sat on them patiently, keeping them warm. One sunny morning, tap, tap, crack! Out popped three fluffy baby swallows. They were all beak and big eyes, and they were always hungry. "Cheep! Cheep! More worms, Mama!" they'd cry. Mama Swallow was busy all day long, flying back and forth with juicy bugs and caterpillars for her little ones.

But someone else had noticed the nest. A long, slithery snake with shiny scales lived nearby. It had seen Mama Swallow building her home. One afternoon, while Mama Swallow was out searching for an extra-plump caterpillar, the snake saw its chance. It found a tiny crack in the wall of the big building and, very quietly, it wiggled its way up, up, up, towards the little nest.

When Mama Swallow returned, her wings full of tasty treats, her heart dropped. The nest was empty. Her babies were gone. The snake, looking rather full, was just disappearing back down the wall.

Tears welled up in Mama Swallow's little bird eyes. She flew around in distress, chirping sadly. "Oh dear, oh dear!" she cried to the other birds who gathered. "I built my home in this grand building, a place where fairness is decided, thinking my family would be protected. But even here, in a place meant for safety, danger found my little ones."

The other birds nodded sadly. They understood. Even in places that seem the safest, you still have to be very, very watchful.

1778 Views