Spring has arrived! Spring has arrived! ― called out loudly a young Crow, flying through the forest.
Have you seen it? Is it beautiful? ― asked a young Woodpecker.
No, I haven't seen it. I only heard sparrows in the city park bathing in a puddle and chirping merrily.
I wonder what Spring is like? ― perked up a Magpie. ― Who has seen it?
Silly Magpie! You've seen it, and I've seen it, ― grumbled Aunt Owl, peering out from the hollow of an old oak tree. ― And you've all seen it too.
Where is it? ― asked the Woodpecker and Magpie in unison, settling on a linden branch.
There it is!
Where? ― the birds turned their heads about.
Look! The snowy drifts have turned grey, the snow is melting and running in little streams across the forest clearings. On a low hill, green grass and the first flowers ― snowdrops ― are pushing through the snow. The sun shines brighter and warms the earth. The frosts have gone, there are no more snowfalls or icy winds. Soon the birds will return from warm lands to our forests. The trees will have their buds swell and little green leaves will appear. All of this is Spring! ― explained old Aunt Owl.
Are there forests where there is no winter, snow or frost? ― asked the young Woodpecker.
Yes, there are such forests! Far, far away in the south, where it's always warm and the sun shines, ― answered the wise Owl. ― There are many birds there that fear the cold. In the south they spend winter, and in spring they return home. And so it goes every year.
Do they want to fly back and forth like that? That must be so far away? ― asked another Crow, a friend of the one who had been spreading the spring news, of the Owl.
If they don't fly away, they'll freeze from the cold and hunger. Soon the rooks, starlings, larks and swallows will return. In a little while, we'll hear the morning song of the Lark. Now do you understand what Spring is? ― asked Aunt Owl.
Yes! ― cried the birds in unison.
Spring! Spring has arrived! ― joyful chirping echoed through the forest.
