In a cozy little cottage, nestled right at the edge of a big, green forest, lived a kind woodcutter. One bright morning, while he was looking for good trees, he heard a tiny, sweet sound. It wasn't a bird, and it wasn't a squirrel. He followed the sound up, up, up into the branches of a tall oak tree. And what did he find? A little baby, no bigger than a loaf of bread, tucked into a large bird's nest!

"Well, I'll be!" said the woodcutter. He carefully climbed the tree, gently took the baby, and brought him home. "I shall call you Foundling-Bird," he decided, "because a bird's nest is where I found you."

Foundling-Bird grew up in the cottage with the woodcutter's own daughter, a sweet girl named Lenchen. They played hide-and-seek among the trees and shared their bread and jam. They were the best of friends.

Now, in the woodcutter's house, there was also an old cook named Else. Else was not a kind person. She was grumpy and always wore a frown. One day, Lenchen was playing near the kitchen when she heard Else muttering to herself. "Tomorrow," Else grumbled, "when the woodcutter is away, I'm going to put Foundling-Bird into a big pot of boiling water and cook him!"

Lenchen's eyes grew wide with fear. She ran to Foundling-Bird. "We have to go!" she whispered. "Else plans to cook you tomorrow!"

So, very early the next morning, before the sun had even peeked over the hills, Foundling-Bird and Lenchen tiptoed out of the cottage and ran into the deep forest.

When Else woke up and found Foundling-Bird gone, she was furious! "Grrr!" she growled. She sent three of her kitchen helpers running after them.

Foundling-Bird and Lenchen heard the helpers crashing through the bushes. "Quick!" said Foundling-Bird. "I will turn into a rosebush, and you, Lenchen, turn into a beautiful rose on one of my branches."

And just like that, poof! Foundling-Bird became a thorny rosebush, and Lenchen became a lovely red rose. When the three helpers arrived, all they saw was a rosebush. "Well, no children here," one said, and they turned around and went back to Else.

Else was even angrier. "You foolish boys!" she shrieked, and sent them out again.

Again, Foundling-Bird and Lenchen heard them coming. "This time," said Foundling-Bird, "I will turn into a little church, and you, Lenchen, will be the shiny chandelier hanging from the ceiling."

Poof! There stood a small, quiet church, and inside, Lenchen sparkled as a chandelier. The helpers looked in. "No children in here," they mumbled, and went back to Else, feeling rather silly.

Now Else was so mad she decided to go herself. She stomped into the forest, her face red with anger.

Foundling-Bird and Lenchen saw her coming. "Oh dear!" cried Lenchen. "What shall we do now?"
"Don't worry," said Foundling-Bird. "I will turn into a pond, and you, Lenchen, will be a little duck swimming on the water."

Poof! A clear, cool pond appeared, and Lenchen, as a little white duck, paddled happily on its surface.

Else arrived, huffing and puffing. She saw the pond. "Aha!" she cackled. "They must be hiding in there. I'll drink all the water, and then I'll find them!"

So, Else knelt by the edge of the pond and began to drink. Slurp, gulp, slurp! She drank and drank. The little duck (who was Lenchen, of course) swam closer and closer. Then, with a quick little nip, the duck grabbed Else by her long nose and pulled!

Splash! Else tumbled headfirst into the pond. And because she had drunk so much water, she sank right to the bottom and was never seen again.

Foundling-Bird and Lenchen changed back into themselves. They cheered and hugged each other. They ran all the way back to the cottage, where the kind woodcutter was overjoyed to see them safe and sound. And from that day on, they lived happily together, with no more worries about grumpy old cooks.

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