Wizard Owl's Perfect Day

Wizard Owl controlled the weather. He had for many centuries and would for many centuries to come. He was as wise as the old trees in the forest and as silent as the wind that shook their leaves. His big brown eyes missed little, and his speckled white feathers reflected his age as well as his wisdom. Many forest creatures would come to Wizard Owl for advice or for guidance.

Please, old wise Mr. Owl, make it rain.

Please, old wise Mr. Owl, we haven’t seen the sun in days! Make the rain stop!

Please, old wise Mr. Owl, the river is overflowing! Bring back the sunshine, so we can lay by the riverbank!

And Wizard Owl would do his best to make everyone happy.

Our story starts on a warm spring morning in the forest. Dew was dripping off the fresh green grass and the rising sun was just beginning to shine through the thick leafy canopy above. All the forest creatures big and small, from the shyest deer to the littlest frogs, began to come out to play. Today was a special day, today was Grandfather Hare’s one hundred and eleventh birthday. Wizard Owl had the perfect day planned out, just for him. Everything was going to be flawless. He had created the most beautiful spring day with his magical weather controlling powers, with a cool breeze blowing through the trees and the sun shining through a cloudless day, nothing could go wrong. Everyone was hard at work preparing for the birthday party. The squirrels were busy making the cake, the birds were putting up the decorations, and the deer and the frogs were working together to make a special musical celebration for old Grandfather Hare.

Wizard Owl was flying around, making sure everything was going according to planned, when he smelled something burning. Quickly, he swopped around and headed for the big oak tree where the squirrels were baking the cake. When Wizard Owl approached the entrance to the big oak tree, he saw that it was smoking! The squirrels were running around in a panic trying to put the fire out.

“What happened?!” Wizard Owl said, spinning his 360 degree head around in a circle to take in the scene.

All the squirrels were talking at once, and the tree was going up in flames! Wizard Owl had to do something fast. Quickly he flapped his wings together hard to make a rain storm. The clouds gathered overhead until cool rain droplets began to fall on the oak tree. Eventually Wizard Owl had created a big enough rainstorm to put out the fire, and the squirrels cheered! But Grandfather Hare’s birthday cake was ruined. Wizard Owl reassured the squirrels that everything would be okay. They still had the decorations and the music!

Wizard Owl quickly cleared the rainstorm away, bringing back the beautiful spring day, and went to check on the rest of the birthday preparations. When he reached the clearing where the party was being set up, he saw all the birds looking glum.

“What happened?” Wizard Owl asked.

One of the little bluebirds looked up at big old Wizard Owl with tears in her eyes. “There was a rainstorm, and all the decorations got wet!” She said.

Wizard Owl realized that the rainstorm he had created to put out the fire in the oak tree had gotten the bird’s birthday streamers wet.

“Don’t worry!” Wizard Owl said. “I can fix this!”

Quickly, he flapped his wings together and summoned up the dryest, hottest summer day he could muster. Little by little, the birds’ streamers began to dry.

“Hooray!” The birds cheered. “Wise old Wizard Owl has saved the day again!”

But there was still one problem. When the birds went to straighten the streamers out again, they fell apart! There was no fixing them anymore!

“It’s going to be alright!” Wizard Owl said. “This is still going to be the best birthday party yet! You’ll see, I’ll fix everything and we’ll make sure Grandfather Hare has the best birthday party! After all, the deer and the frogs still have their musical number to perform!”

At that moment, the deer and the frogs approached Wizard Owl, looking sad.

“What happened now?” Wizard Owl asked.

In a very dry voice, one of the deer said, “This hot summer heat has dried up our singing voices! We can’t perform Grandfather Hare’s birthday musical number!”

One of the frogs let out a dry croak.

“It’s okay! I’ll fix this!” Wizard Owl said. He flapped his wings together to create a light rainstorm, to help the deer and the frogs with their dry throats.

At that moment, there came another rustling in the brush. Suddenly, with his waistcoat and walking stick, Grandfather Hare approached out of his den.

“Good morning, all!” Grandfather Hare said. Fat raindrops began to land on his head. “What’s all this now?” He asked.

In a panic, Wizard Owl flapped and flapped his tired wings to put out the rainstorm, but for some reason that only made it worse! It started raining harder then ever!

“It’s Grandfather Hare!” All the forest creatures said together. “Happy birthday Grandfather Hare!”

“Everyone follow me!” Grandfather Hare said. “Let’s get out of this rain!”

So the squirrels, the deer, the frogs, the birds, and Wizard Owl all followed old Grandfather Hare down into his den. It was very crowded in there, but warm and cozy. Grandfather Hare made everyone a warm cup of tea.

“I’m sorry, Grandfather Hare,” Wizard Owl said. “I wanted to make this the best one hundred and eleventh birthday party ever, but I just made everything worse.”

“Come now, wise old owl!” Grandfather Hare said. “We can still have a great birthday party down here in my den!”

So the forest creatures had a grand tea party in the hare’s den as the rain came down outside. Grandfather Hare had a great one hundred and eleventh birthday party, and Wizard Owl decided from that day on to be more careful about how he used his magical weather powers.