Let Me Be a Bird
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Hello! Welcome to Stories Podcast. I'm your host, Amanda Weldon. Today's story is called Let Me Be a Bird, a story written for you by Daniel Hines based upon the poem by Itzik Monger.

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This episode of Stories Podcast is sponsored by Squarespace. Squarespace is the all-in-one website platform for entrepreneurs to stand out and succeed online. Whether you're just launching a new venture or managing a successful business, Squarespace makes it possible to create a beautiful website and engage with your audience. And Squarespace makes it so easy to sell anything from products to content to time, all in one place, all on your terms,

with Squarespace Payments. Onboarding is fast and simple. Get started in just a few clicks and start receiving payments right away. It's even easy to invoice clients and create proposals, estimates, and contracts. Simplify your workflow and manage your business on one platform. Also, Squarespace has integrated SEO tools. Every Squarespace website is optimized to be indexed with meta descriptions, an auto-generated sitemap, and more.

so you show up more often to more people in global search engine results. Head to squarespace.com for a free trial. And when you're ready to launch, squarespace.com slash dragon to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. That's squarespace.com slash dragon for 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. The Toyota Tundra and Tacoma are designed to outlast and outlive.

Combining raw power with precision engineering, all backed by Toyota's legendary reputation for reliability. Climb inside a Tundra and experience the uncompromising strength. With its available i-FORCE MAX engine, the Tundra delivers exceptional power, torque, and towing capacity. Plus, the spacious and high-tech cabin keeps you connected on the run. Or check out a Tacoma. Agile, dependable, and unstoppable,

The Tacoma is designed for those who go beyond the trails. Stay ahead of the pack with available off-road features like crawl control, or break out your tunes with the available portable JBL speaker. Toyota trucks are built to last, year after year, mile after mile. So outlast every adventure and outlive the moment. Buy a Tundra or Tacoma today. Visit BuyAToyota.com, Toyota's official website for deals,

or stop by your local Toyota dealer to find out more. Toyota, let's go places! Thanks! Enjoy the episode! Once upon a time, many, many years ago, a mother and son were walking along a trail through the woods. They weren't going anywhere in particular, just walking to walk and to enjoy the beauty of nature around them. And it was beautiful.

Winter was in full force, and the trees were a mix of bare and evergreen. Stark branches stood out black against the white of the snow, and pine trees swept their needled skirts against the tops of the snowdrifts. The mother and son lived near the woods, and the trail was practically in their backyard. They walked it often, usually passing by a neighbor or two. The boy, whose name was Noah, loved it.

Even though some neighbors were close, there were plenty of trees to make the world seem big and wild. He had a personal and private mission to climb each and every one before he got older and went to university. As they walked, a breeze blew in and shook the bare branches off the trees.

It was winter, but the sun was bright and clear and warm. The mother was a nervous one, though, so Noah, who was tall and rangy, was already in a nice puffy coat. Too puffy, if we're being honest, but at least his mama was happy.

Do you think we'll get any more snow, Mama? he asked, somersaulting over a tiny stick in the path. There was some snow on the ground, but not nearly enough for Noah's taste. He wanted enough to build a giant snow fort, or at least a snowman.

There's a chill in the air, Mama said. I think it'll snow and bury us all alive. And if not snow, then it will be dreadfully cold. So cold that we'll freeze into ice statues and be stuck until spring. Can you imagine us out here like little snow people? It's no good at all. We should head back to the house. Okay, so his mother was a very nervous one.

home. Not yet, Mama, said Noah. I don't want to leave the trees. Who's going to keep them company while I'm inside? Even as he asked, he started scampering up the nearest tree. There were low branches, so he made it up a few feet before his mother plucked him off by the waist and set him on the ground.

The trees keep each other company. Look how they grow together, mingling their branches. They're all practically having a party. Let's go home and warm up, and then you can go back out and visit the trees. Can we have hot chocolate at home? Noah asked, jumping up and down. If you're good and don't climb every tree on the way home. Just some trees? Noah asked, a hopeful look in his eyes.

"'None trees,' Mama said, taking his hand and ushering him back to their house. It was a cute little cottage right on the edge of the tree line. Papa had built most of it with his own two hands. Once inside, Mama made a cup of hot chocolate, and Noah sat in a window seat, drinking and watching the chilly afternoon. In the side yard, he saw an old tree swaying in the snowy ground, and he saw it was a

It had no other trees around it, and Noah double-checked by looking east and west and north and south. He even looked up, and there wasn't so much as a bird in sight. Not a single jay or sparrow who might land on the lonely tree. It made Noah a little sad. Every tree deserved a bird. And then he had an idea.

Mama, he said, running to the kitchen. He went so fast he slipped on the tile and had to grab his mom's skirts to keep from falling over. Mama, Mama, what is it? She said, turning with a sauce-dripping spoon in one heavy hand. She was already working on Papa's favorite meatball soup. I want to be a bird, Noah said, getting a little ahead of himself. What's this about a bird? Mama asked, already skeptical.

You said the trees keep each other company, but there's a tree out there that's all alone. No other trees are growing nearby. There's not even a bird out there to keep it company. So I want to go be a bird and sit in the tree. But you're not a bird. You're a boy. But I could be a bird, said Noah, growing exasperated, which means irritated and frustrated all at once.

I can climb up in the tree and sit in the branches. I can nestle in like a bird, and then I can sing. I'll sing all the bird songs like Whippoorwill, Whippoorwill, and Cuckoo Cachoo, and the tree won't get lonely. It's going to get cold, said Mama. She was worrying too much, which was, of course, a habit of hers. More than a habit, maybe an obsession.

It's going to get so cold your eyes will freeze in your head and all you'll see is ice. My baby, I couldn't bear to see you out there frozen to death on the tree. Mama, I won't freeze. It's not even that cold out. I just want to be a bird. I just know you'll turn into an icicle, Mama said, starting to cry now. People will come around and say, Mama, where is your little boy Noah? And I'll have to say...

He froze to the tree, and now he's gone forever because he wanted to go out in the cold and worry his poor mother. And they'll say, what kind of son would do that to a poor old woman? And I'll have to say, oh, my poor ice son did. My frozen son. I won't freeze. Don't bother crying, said Noah. I'll be outside one, two, three seconds, and poof, I'll be a bird, and all will be well. You've never seen a bird frozen in a tree, have you?

Fine, if you insist on torturing your poor old mother, then you can go outside. Just make sure you wear your coat, okay? Yes, Mama, Noah said. And then he put on his coat and ran outside.

Now for a quick ad break. We'll be back with the rest of the story after this. If you'd like Stories Podcast and other favorite kid podcasts ad-free, subscribe to Wondery Plus Kids on Apple Podcasts. This episode of Stories Podcast is sponsored by Squarespace. Squarespace is the all-in-one website platform for entrepreneurs to stand out and succeed online.

Whether you're just launching a new venture or managing a successful business, Squarespace makes it possible to create a beautiful website and engage with your audience. And Squarespace makes it so easy to sell anything from products to content to time, all in one place, all on your terms with Squarespace Payments. Onboarding is fast and simple. Get started in just a few clicks and start receiving payments right away. It's

It's even easy to invoice clients and create proposals, estimates, and contracts. Simplify your workflow and manage your business on one platform. Also, Squarespace has integrated SEO tools. Every Squarespace website is optimized to be indexed with meta descriptions, an auto-generated site map, and more, so you show up more often to more people in global search engine results.

Head to squarespace.com for a free trial. And when you're ready to launch, squarespace.com slash dragon to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. That's squarespace.com slash dragon for 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

The Toyota Tundra and Tacoma are designed to outlast and outlive, combining raw power with precision engineering, all backed by Toyota's legendary reputation for reliability. Climb inside a Tundra and experience the uncompromising strength. With its available i-FORCE MAX engine, the Tundra delivers exceptional power, torque, and towing capacity. Plus, the spacious and high-tech cabin keeps you connected on the run.

or check out a Tacoma. Agile, dependable, and unstoppable, the Tacoma's designed for those who go beyond the trails. Stay ahead of the pack with available off-road features like crawl control, or break out your tunes with the available portable JBL speaker. Toyota trucks are built to last, year after year, mile after mile.

So outlast every adventure and outlive the moment. Buy a Tundra or Tacoma today. Visit buyatoyota.com, Toyota's official website for deals, or stop by your local Toyota dealer to find out more. Toyota, let's go places. Thanks, and now back to the story. No sooner had he laid his hand on the bark than his mother was shouting at him through the window.

Noah! Noah! She hollered, so loud he thought the neighbors and even their neighbors would hear. It's too cold! Back inside and put on your scarf! Yes, Mama, he said. Noah knew from experience that it would be faster to just do what she said than argue with her. He ran as fast as he could over the frosty ground back to the house.

"'You're going to freeze,' she said again, winding the long scarf around his neck and then up and over his face. It seemed the scarf would never end. It just kept coming and coming like it was a roll of scotch tape. Finally, Mama got to the end and it tucked into itself. "'All right, you can go now and freeze in front of your poor old Mama.' "'Don't worry, Mama,' Noah said, already moving. "'I'll be a bird. Birds don't freeze.'

Noah ran out, excited to go be a bird in the tree. Don't worry, he said to the lonely tree. You won't be alone much longer. But before he could climb into the tree, his mother called again. This time, her voice was so loud a distant flock of birds took off into the air. She called. It just dropped a few degrees. You need to come and get your snow pants on too. The coat and scarf are not enough.

Noah sighed, looking longingly at this tree, and then ran back to his mama. "'I can't believe we forgot these,' she said. "'Your little legs might have frozen into two little icicles that would have snapped off, and then you would have had to come crawling home saying, "'Oh, my little legs froze. I should have listened to my mama, but I didn't, and now look at my little frozen legs.'"

She bundled him in the thickest pair of snow pants that Noah had ever seen. They were thick enough to use as a sleeping bag and puffy like a blanket. He had to struggle to get them on, and then he could barely bend over to tie his boots. Now you might only freeze just a little, Mama said dramatically, tugging his scarf again. Go, go and leave me here alone to wonder if you're a snowman yet.

Noah gave his mama a hug and then ran back towards his tree. Well, he tried to run back towards his tree. He was so swaddled in his snow pants that each step was wide and lumbering. It was like he had two marshmallows for legs and was squishing them through the snow, tumbling and rolling for every step forward. I'm almost there, he said through the layers of scarf. But then, of course, of course, came the call.

Noah! she hollered. So loud the snow fell from the branches where it had frozen crusty and solid. Noah, the wind! The wind, chill! It has the word chill right in there, Noah, and you'll freeze in this wind. Come and get an overcoat to stop this terrible ice wind from cutting through you like a sword. Like a th- Swords! Noah groaned, but he turned and tumble-rolled back to his house on his marshmallow legs.

When he basically fell into the front door, his mom was waiting with one of his father's work jackets, a stiff canvas thing that was about five sizes too big for Noah. Now you'll be warm, she said, stuffing his arms into the armholes and pulling it down. It hung so low it was brushing Noah's ankles. Or at least warm enough that I'll be able to thaw you after you freeze. Now go on out there and play before it gets dark. Noah lumbered back into the yard.

The coat was so heavy on top of everything else that every step felt like lifting a mountain. He lumbered across the yard and finally, finally got back to the tree. He threw his arms around it and leaned against it, panting. "'Your little bird is here, old tree,' he said. "'Soon you won't be alone anymore.'

Noah tried to lift his arms to grab a branch, but found he couldn't. The layers of coats and snow gear and scarf were too thick. He started lower and tried to climb, but it was impossible. He was so bundled up he couldn't even make a start of it. He would never be able to climb the tree. The tree would have to stay lonely. He would never be a bird.

Noah burst into tears. He rolled back to the house, fell in the door, and started to cry even harder, his sobs echoing through the house. Of course, Mama was there in a moment. "'My baby,' she said, wrapping Noah in a big hug. "'What's wrong? Did you freeze? Is it your little legs? Are your little legs frozen?' "'No, Mama,' said Noah, pushing away a little. "'It's you!'

Me? She said, shocked. How could it possibly be me? I want to be a bird! Noah shouted. I wanted to fly! I wanted to keep the tree company, and I wanted to be a bird! You can be a bird, Mama said. No, I can't, Noah said.

You weighed me down with all this stuff. It's not even that cold. The first coat was enough and the scarf was more than enough. I can't even climb a tree with all this. You can't keep trying so hard to protect me that I can't even spread my wings. Mama sat back and now she had tears in her eyes too.

She frowned and then smiled and then wrapped Noah in a tight hug. Oh, my baby, I know I worry too much. I just love you so, so much. I love you too, Mama, Noah said, and he hugged her tightly back. Mama thought for a long moment, her face changing expressions one after the other. Noah waited patiently, letting her think.

Finally, she sighed, stood up, and helped Noah out. She then helped him pull off the heavy canvas coat and the snow pants, too. She unwound the scarf, which took a good long while, and then gave Noah a simple knit cap.

Go be a bird, she said, and I'll try my best not to worry. Thanks, Mama, Noah said. He gave her a big hug. Then Noah went out to keep the tree company. He was a bird, singing bird songs and leaping limb to limb. His mama watched through the window as she cooked. She was nervous, but more than that, she was happy. Happy to watch her little bird spread his wings. The End

Today's story, Let Me Be a Bird, was a story written for you by Daniel Hines, based on the poem by Itzik Monger. It was edited and produced for you by Andrew Martin and performed for you by me, Amanda Weldon. If you would like to support Stories Podcast, you can leave us a five-star review on iTunes. Check out all of our merch available at storiespodcast.com slash shop, commission a special video on Cameo, follow us on Instagram at storiespodcast, or simply tell your friends about us.

In case you missed it, Dan and I have a new show. On Stories RPG, we play games just like Starsworn with all your Max Goodname friends and Giga City Guardians featuring the brilliant Firefly. Click the link in the episode description or go to patreon.com slash stories RPG to get ad-free episodes, play along games, and coloring books. We've already got a bunch of episodes over there, so check them out now. Thanks for listening.

The Toyota Tundra and Tacoma are designed to outlast and outlive, combining raw power with precision engineering, all backed by Toyota's legendary reputation for reliability. Climb inside a Tundra and experience the uncompromising strength. With its available i-FORCE MAX engine, the Tundra delivers exceptional power, torque, and towing capacity. Plus, the spacious and high-tech cabin keeps you connected on the run. Or check out a Tacoma –

Agile, dependable, and unstoppable, the Tacoma's designed for those who go beyond the trails. Stay ahead of the pack with available off-road features like crawl control, or break out your tunes with the available portable JBL speaker. Toyota trucks are built to last, year after year, mile after mile.

So outlast every adventure and outlive the moment. Buy a Tundra or Tacoma today. Visit buyatoyota.com, Toyota's official website for deals, or stop by your local Toyota dealer to find out more. Toyota. Let's go places.