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Once upon a time deep in the jungle there lived  a funny little bird called the Wibbly Wobbly bird. He was called that because when he walked he waddled in a wibbly wobbly sort of way from side to side. He was round and fluffy and feathered with two stubby little wings that he flapped about a lot and he had a big red beak. But he was not a very happy little birdie. 

One day as he was out walking and bumped into his friend the elephant.  

“Hallo Ellie” said the Wibbly Wobbly bird. 

“Hallo Wibbly Wobbly” said the elephant. “And what are you doing today?” he asked. 

“I’m trying to fly,” he said. 

“You’re a very silly Wibbly Wobbly bird” said the elephant. “Wibbly Wobbly birds can’t fly.” 

“Oh, but I do want to try. Do you think you could help me please? Could you lift me up in your trunk and let me jump off.” 

“You will get hurt,” said the elephant . “But I’ll help you this time.” 

And so the Wibbly Wobbly bird got on the elephant’s trunk and was lifted up into the air and jumped, flapping his stubby little wings frantically. 

Bang! 

The poor Wibbly Wobbly bird plunged down into the jungle floor and landed on his beak bending it. 

“Ouch” he said in a rather squeaky voice. “I’ve bent my beak”. 

He waddled off into the jungle thanking the elephant for his help rubbing his poor bent beak. 

Who should he bump into next but the giraffe. 

“Hallo Gerry,” said the Wibbly Wobbly bird. 

“Hallo Wibbly Wobbly” said the giraffe. “And what are you doing today?” he asked. 

“I’m trying to fly” he said. 

“You’re a very silly Wibbly Wobbly bird” said the giraffe. “Wibbly Wobbly birds can’t fly.” 

“Oh, but I do want to try. Do you think you could help me please? Could you lift me up to  your neck and let me jump off.” 

“You will get hurt,” said the giraffe. “But I’ll help you this time.” 

And so the Wibbly Wobbly bird got on the giraffe’s neck  and was lifted up into the air and jumped, flapping his stubby little wings frantically. 

Bang! 

The poor Wibbly Wobbly bird plunged down into the jungle floor and land on his bottom . “Ouch” he said in a rather squeaky voice rubbing his backside. “I’ve bashed my bottom”. 

He waddled off into the jungle thanking the giraffe for his help, rubbing his bashed bottom. 

Who should he bump into next but the pelican. 

“Hallo Peli,” said the Wibbly Wobbly bird. 

“Hallo Wibbly Wobbly” said the pelican. “And what are you doing today?” he asked. 

“I’m trying to fly,” he said. 

“You’re a very silly Wibbly Wobbly bird” said the pelican. “Wibbly Wobbly birds can’t fly.” 

“Oh, but I do want to try. Do you think you could help me please? Could you lift me up into your pouch and let me jump off.” 

“You will get hurt,” said the pelican. “But I’ll help you this time.” 

And so he got into the pelican’s pouch and was lifted up into the air over the sea and jumped, flapping his stubby little wings frantically. 

Splash!  

Crash! 

Flop! 

The Wibbly Wobbly bird did a perfect belly flop. 

“Ouch, oooh my belly,” he squeaked. 

He waddled ashore thanking the pelican, rubbing his poor sore bruised belly. 

He was not a very happy little birdie with a bent beak, a bashed bottom and a bruised belly. And then he met the wise old owl. 

“Hallo Ollie” said the Wibbly Wobbly bird. 

“Hallo Wibbly Wobbly”, said Ollie. “You don’t look very happy. What have you been up to?” 

“I’ve been trying to fly,” said the Wibbly Wobbly bird. . “And I’ve got a bent beak, a bashed bottom and a bruised belly!” 

“I’m not surprised. What a silly billy you are.” said the owl. “Wibbly Wobbly birds can’t fly. There are lots of flightless birds like you that can’t fly,” continued the owl. 

“There are ostriches and emus, penguins and kiwis then there is your cousin in Australia, the kākāpō bird. None of them can fly, and don’t forget the dodos. They are extinct now as they all got eaten up. So think yourself very lucky that you are still alive.” 

“Gosh!” said the Wibbly Wobbly bird. “ I didn’t know that. Thank you Ollie. I feel a lot better now.” 

And so the Wibbly Wobbly bird waddled home flapping his stubby little wings joyfully feeling a much happier little birdie now even with a bent beak, a bashed bottom and a bruised belly. 

“And I’m glad I’m not as dead as a dodo!” 

Want more from Season 02 of TOPIA?

It’s inspired by The Egg – and a cracking good read

You might also like: A bestiary of birds who mean business

What’s so good about this?

Among the more than 10,000 bird species in the world today is a group that cannot fly or sing, and whose wings are more fluff than feather. The moral of this sweet story is to be happy in what you have instead of looking at what you don’t. The bird who is satisfied with what they have is the happiest bird in the world.

Meet the writer

Paddy O’Farrell is a retired RAF engineer who has been shot at by a bazooka and had an African snake put up his trousers. You can find him residing in Andalucía next to the world’s most famous tomatoes; teaching calligraphy, playing bridge and self-publishing books set in idyllic English villages featuring mafia types and naughty coppers.