Pippin the Penguin Who Wanted to Fly

In a snowy, icy land, there lived a little penguin named Pippin. Pippin had a big dream: he wanted to fly like the seagulls. But penguins can't fly, and everyone told him so. - Why can't I fly like the birds? Pippin wondered. The other penguins laughed, saying, - Penguins are for waddling and swimming, not flying! But Pippin's heart was set on soaring through the sky.

Pippin decided to try anyway. He waddled to a small ice mound and jumped, flapping his wings as hard as he could. - Here I go! he shouted with excitement. But he only tumbled down with a soft plop into the snow. - Flying is harder than it looks, he sighed. His tiny wings just couldn't lift him up.

Pippin tried again and again, but each time he fell. - Maybe if I flap faster, he thought, and he tried once more. He even tried to catch the wind, hoping it would lift him up. But the wind just whooshed past, leaving him in a heap. - I'll never fly, Pippin said sadly. His heart felt heavy with each fall.

Feeling defeated, Pippin sat alone on the ice, watching the other penguins slide and play. - Maybe they're right, he thought, - maybe penguins just can't fly. His dream felt far away, like the moon in the sky. - What's the point in trying if I keep falling? he wondered aloud. His hope was slipping away like the melting snow.

Just then, a wise old albatross named Alba landed nearby. - What troubles you, little penguin? Alba asked kindly. Pippin told her about his dream and his many falls. - Flying is about heart and courage, not just wings, Alba explained. She showed Pippin how to feel the wind and leap with his strong legs. - You can do it, Pippin! Alba encouraged.

With Alba's help, Pippin practiced every day. One evening, he stood atop a tall, snowy cliff. - You can do it, Pippin! the other penguins cheered below. Pippin took a deep breath, spread his wings, and leaped. For a moment, he soared through the air, his heart full of joy. - I did it! he exclaimed, - I flew like Pippin!