EvanThe Egret

Evan the Egret was out flying alone
Far from his family and far from his home.
He'd only just learnt how to spread out his wings
Discovering feelings that flying high brings.
The breeze brushed his face while the sun warmed his back
And time had no meaning, he simply lost track.

His wings started tiring; he flew to the ground,
And stood for a moment and looked all around.
Where was his river? What place was this?
Where was his mummy he so badly missed?
Evan had no idea how far he'd flown,
How far from his river or from his home.

Just down the lane, not too far away,
Timmy and Tommy Mouse came out to play.
"Shall we go and see if Cyril is in?"
Said Timmy to Tommy, then started to grin,
"Let's get the girls and Reggie the Rat,
And play hide and seek, what do you think of that?"

"That sounds like good fun," his brother replied,
"But I want to seek, I don't want to hide!"
Timmy and Tommy Mouse knocked Cyril's door,
Then saw him come out of the winter nut store.
"What are you doing?" They called over to him.
"I'm making some room to put lots more nuts in."

Cyril the Squirrel then showed them inside.
"But you have got thousands!" Tommy Mouse cried
"They're not all for me," he laughed, shaking his head,
"I collect for old squirrels, and those ill in bed."
"Can we come and help you? Where do you go?"
"Not too far away is a place that I know."

"Then we can play hide and seek when it's done!"
Timmy told Cyril, who said, "That sounds fun
Just three more bags and the store will be full,
Taking the cart they'll be easy to pull."
Off they all went and soon they were there
And the sacks were soon full, with time left to spare.

Now Evan the Egret was still on the ground,
So sad that his river was nowhere around.
He felt so afraid he was lost in this wood
He'd searched all around but it didn't look good.
He was feeling so hungry, his throat felt so dry,
He wanted his mummy. He started to cry.

Evan he was feeling so lost and alone,
He thought he would never find his way home.
It was then he heard something, it sounded quite near,
His little heart fluttered, it filled up with fear.
Then out of the clearing there came three funny things,
They had little legs and they didn't have wings!

They stopped and then stared and Evan stared back,
He looked at their cart and their three bulging sacks.
Then Cyril smiled and said, "Are you alright?"
Timmy then added, "You gave us a fright!
Where did you come from? You're not from round here."
"I live by the river...but it's disappeared!"

Tommy looked at him; his legs were so long,
He was white like the snow, but he didn't look strong.
He had the softest of wings, just like a bird,
But a bird with long legs, of that he'd not heard.
Then gently he asked him, "How far have you flown?
There's no river here that sounds like your home."

"I'm not sure," whispered Evan, "this was my first go,
I just flew and I flew, how far I don't know.
I flew up in the air as high as could be,
I felt so happy; there was so much to see."
The three friends just listened, it sounded so good,
But now he was lost in their Hedgerow Wood!

"I know who'll help you!" cried out Tommy Mouse,
"Bodger the Beaver, let's go to his house!"
"Gosh, yes," agreed Cyril, "let's all go right now.
He'll come out of the water, if we make enough row!"
So off they all went down to Popsicorn Bog,
And once they were there, Timmy pulled out a log.

"Hey! Who is that messing around with my dam?"
Bodger called out, and Timmy answered, "I am!"
Bodger swam up and then growled at his friends,
But they all just laughed knowing it was pretend.
"Hi Bodger, how are you? Are you busy just now?
Our friend wants to go home but he doesn't know how!"

Bodger climbed out of the water, then said,
"I'm not doing much; I'm just making my bed."
He turned to their friend and asked, "What is your name?
I've a friend who's an Egret, and you look the same!"
Timmy and Tommy were pleased Bodger knew
What their new friend was and just what to do.

"My name is Evan, I've just learnt to fly,
And I flew and I flew way up in the sky!
But then I came down and my river's not here!
Can you help me find it? Is it very near?"
Bodger the Beaver then smiled at Evan.
"No, it's not far away, and help you, I can!"

The river turned out to be not far away,
And Evan was back to his river to stay.
His mummy then saw him and flew to his side,
"Where have you been? I've been worried!" she cried.
Evan told his story how they found him alone,
His new friends then helped him to find his way home.

She turned to the friends with a smile on her face
And spread out her wings to gently embrace
Each one of them there, and then said to them all
If they needed their help, they just had to call.
They all waved goodbye, and went back to their wood
Feeling quite happy this ending was good.

"Let's get the nuts and stack them away,
Then get the girls and ask them to play."
Tommy ran on, but turned round to yell,
"I'll go get Reggie, and Whiffy as well."
Bodger the Beaver went back to his dam
Pleased he could help little Egret Evan.