Short Story of the Hungry Bird in English for Kids

The Hungry Bird story revolved around a little sparrow named Cip and his family. It is a tale of being self-reliant and standing on one’s feet to survive in this grueling world. There are many other elements within the story, such as kindness, perseverance, loving one’s family, and likewise. In a nutshell, the tale follows Cip, his parents, and his five siblings and their tribulations of finding food after the person who fed them passed away. Reading or listening to short stories like this help develop the moral compass or young minds so that they can become better humans in the future.

Origin of the Story 

The ‘Hungry Bird’ story is written by Federica Farina, from Petranova International Institute, Italy. It won the first prize in the sub-junior category of the second biannual Short Story Content 2020, organized by Kids World Fun. The content aims to provide students from all over the world an opportunity to display their writing skills, and be recognized as a unique talent.

The Hungry Bird Story Summary

The story begins by introducing us to a little sparrow named Cip who lived with his parents, and 5 brothers. Cip was an adorable bird with small, soft feathers that were red at the chest, gray over his body, and turned into a brownish-hue at his wings. Cip and his family resided in the Bell Tower of a church. They lived happily, without any worries and woes of the world. Cip’s mother would teach him to chirp with the rhythm of the bells.

Cip and his family depended on an old lady for food. Her house was near the Bell Tower, and everyday she would keep breadcrumbs on the windowsill for Cip and his family. Unfortunately, the old lady fell sick one day and died. Cip and his family were devastated and felt completely helpless, as now they had nothing to eat.

Cip’s father was a bird of strong determination. So, he decided to go hunting but sadly could catch only three worms. As there were eight birds in the family, the parents decided to feed the littlest ones. Cip and his two brothers got to eat, and the rest remained hungry. In due course of time, the hunt’s pace continued to dampened, and there was hardly enough to eat. Therefore, Cip and his mother decided to take matters into their own hands.

They began pecking on windows for food, but people shooed them away. The ordeal was heartbreaking. Then, Cip and his mother went to a baker one day, who chased them and threw a sack full of ash over them, turning them all gray. But, there is light at the end of the tunnel, and that very day Cip’s father found a place where there was no shortage of food. He happily returned to his nest with lots of worms but he saw no one. When the birdies and the mother returned to the nest still dirtied with the gray ashes, the father could not identify them. So, he turned them away.

But, the little sparrows and their mother did not give up. They went to a nearby pond to wash themselves, and then came back chirping their favorite song. This time, the father could immediately recognize his progeny and his beloved partner. He apologized for his mistakes and then welcomed them all to a wonderful platter of worms. After that day, Cip and his family never had to stay hungry or rely on others for food.

Thus, there we have it, the Hungry Bird short summary for the better understanding of young minds.

A Graphical Representation of the Hungry Bird Story

Moral of the Story

The Hungry Bird moral story tells us to be independent, and not depend on others for anything. As the sparrows continued to depend on the old woman for food, they forgot all their hunting and foraging skills, something that proved detrimental for all of them. Likewise, we should be dependent on ourselves, and not ask for help at the smallest inconvenience. Sometimes, asking for help is fine, and is rather the wiser thing to do. But, when it comes to basic life skills and needs, being independent should be the only way to go. Consequently, the tale of the sparrows also tells us a thing or two about standing by our family, especially in hard times. In addition, kids can also learn to be kind to animals, just like that old lady.

Note to Parents 

It is common to see young kids find subjects like Moral Science boring. However, with the Hungry Bird moral story and others like it, children can develop their emotional intelligence while having fun. Reading or listening to stories is a great way for young minds to learn new worlds, improve their grammar, and broaden their horizons. Therefore, teachers and parents should go the extra mile to ensure that kids are reading short stories. Opting for the Hungry Bird story PDFs from reliable sources is a good way to start.