The Owl Prince's Flying Lessons

Once upon a time, in a big green forest, there lived a little owl prince named Featherwing. He had two big brothers and sisters who could fly really, really well. "I want to fly too!" said Prince Featherwing every day. "Flap, flap, flap!" went his little wings. But down, down, down he would tumble to the soft leaves below. "Whomp!" Prince Featherwing would land with a gentle bump. "Why can't I fly like everyone else?" One sunny morning, Prince Featherwing went to see Wise Old Owl, who knew everything about flying. "Wise Old Owl," said Prince Featherwing sadly, "I try and try, but I can't fly up high like my family." Wise Old Owl smiled with his big, kind eyes. "Little prince," he said in his gentle voice, "flying takes time to learn. Let me show you the secret." "Really? There's a secret?" asked Prince Featherwing, his eyes growing wide. "Yes!" said Wise Old Owl. "First, spread your wings like this... WIDE! Then feel the wind... WHOOSH! Then glide like you're floating on air!" Every day, Prince Featherwing practiced with Wise Old Owl. "Spread wide!" "Feel the whoosh!" "Float on air!" Day after day, Prince Featherwing tried his best. Sometimes he got tired. Sometimes his feathers got all messy. But he kept trying. But after many days, Prince Featherwing felt sad again. "I still can't fly as high as my family," he told Wise Old Owl with tears in his eyes. Wise Old Owl put his soft wing around the little prince. "Sweet little one," he said, "flying isn't about going the highest or the fastest. Flying is about being happy with who you are!" "But I want to really fly!" said Prince Featherwing. "Come with me," said Wise Old Owl with a twinkle in his eye. Together, they climbed to the top of a tall, tall tree. The moon was bright and beautiful above them. Prince Featherwing looked down at the forest far below. "Oh my!" said Prince Featherwing, his little heart beating fast. "It's so high up here! What if I fall?" Wise Old Owl smiled gently. "Little prince, do you remember what we practiced?" "Spread wide, feel the whoosh, and float on air," whispered Prince Featherwing. "That's right," said Wise Old Owl. "And most important - believe in yourself. You can do this!" Prince Featherwing took a deep breath. His wings were shaking a little bit. "I'm scared," he said quietly. "It's okay to feel scared," said Wise Old Owl kindly. "But I believe in you. You are brave, and you are ready." Prince Featherwing looked at his wise friend. Then he looked up at the twinkling stars. "Okay," he said. "I'll try!" He spread his wings wide... felt the gentle wind go "WHOOSH!"... and then he jumped! And guess what? He was floating! Flying! Soaring through the pretty night sky! "I'm flying! I'm really flying!" laughed Prince Featherwing as they glided under the twinkling stars. "You were always meant to fly," said Wise Old Owl. "You just needed to believe in yourself." From that night on, Prince Featherwing practiced flying every day with joy in his heart. "Spread wide, feel the whoosh, and float on air!" he would say happily as he soared with his family. He wasn't the fastest flyer, and he wasn't the highest flyer, but he was the happiest flyer of all! And whenever little owls in the forest had trouble learning to fly, Prince Featherwing would tell them: "Spread wide, feel the whoosh, and float on air! But most important of all - believe in yourself!" The End