Birdie and the Magic Chocolate Tree.
Hello, this is Jana and I'm dropping by with a delicious Birdie story.
Every day when mum or dad picked up Jake from school, they would walk home past the sweet shop.
Well, it sold real food too.
But Jake was only interested in the sweet treats.
Dad, my tummy's grumbling, complained Jake with a pained look on his face.
You mean rumbling, corrected Dad.
No, it's grumbling.
I really need chocolate to make it better.
I'm hungry, Dad, he pleaded.
Or how about a nice stick of celery?
Dad grinned, pointing to the salad department.
Celery?
Yuck!
I'm not eating a plant!
Jake would persist and plead until Dad gave in to a Snickers or Mars bar.
But then one day, disaster struck.
Mum announced a crackdown on... on eating sweets and crisps and sugary cans of soda.
The news is full of health scares at the moment, said Mum looking up briefly from her laptop.
We're going to start eating healthier from now on.
There's an article here that says sugar affects your development, she told the kids.
What does that mean, asked Jake, dismayed.
Well, it means sugar doesn't just make you fat, it makes you annoying too.
Don't say fat, shot back jake, and don't say annoying, screamed his hot-tempered little sister, stamping her foot.
Okay okay, you're right, admitted mum with a sigh.
We must all watch our language.
Let's just say that sugar is bad for you.
So from now on, we are cutting back drastically.
And by the way, the dentist doesn't approve of sugar.
He says it rots your teeth too.
Am I allowed to mention that?
I mean, do we still have free speech in our house?
That afternoon, Mum prepared a snack consisting of cut-up apples cucumber, carrot sticks and hummus.
Mum and Dad thought it was delicious, but Jake still preferred crisps or a bag of Maltesers.
Later, when he was in his room, Birdie paid him a visit.
Jake glanced at the window, his heart lifting a little.
Birdie, a jet black crow with a sharp gaze, hopped into the room.
What's this long face for? he asked, tilting his head in concern.
It's a disaster, Birdie!
Jake wailed.
Birdie fluffed his feathers in alarm.
What tragedy has befallen you?
You'd never guess what's happened.
Get on and spit it out then, answered Birdie.
Mum has only gone and banned chocolate and crisps from my life.
And fizzy drinks.
Jake threw himself back onto his bed, as if the weight of the world rested on his small shoulders.
Birdie gasped, his wings fluttering.
What's left?
Tree bark and bird seed?
Close, Jake muttered.
Carrots, celery and this weird goo mum calls hummus.
She says it's nutritious but to me it tastes like wallpaper paste.
Yikes, Birdie sympathised.
So what's the plan?
Stage a rebellion.
Jake sighed dramatically oh, i wish birdie, can we actually live without chocolate?
Because i'm not so sure i can.
Oh chocolate, the most magical bean of them all.
Birdie began, his tone becoming more serious.
But believe it or not, humans can live without chocolate for surprisingly long periods of time.
During World War Two, they had to ration it four ounces a month.
Jake's eyes widened.
Four ounces!
That's like one tiny bite.
Exactly, Birdie nodded.
And after the war, it didn't get much better.
Rationing continued for years.
Years?
Jake nearly jumped off his bed.
No chocolate for years?
That's just torture.
Birdie chuckled softly.
Well, it wasn't easy because, you know, chocolate isn't just a treat.
It has a history, a magic that goes back to ancient times.
Ever heard of the Mayans?
Jake shook his head, intrigued.
Birdie perched himself closer, his voice taking on a storyteller's cadence.
The Mayans were a great civilization in Mexico long before the Europeans arrived.
They built incredible cities with grand temples and pyramids.
But one of their most cherished treasures was a tree, the chocolate tree.
It was said that the great god Kukulkan himself brought the tree down from a magical mountain to help the people when they were lost and sad.
The chocolate from that tree wasn't just delicious, it was powerful.
It made people wise, strong and happy.
Jake listened, his eyes wide with wonder.
So, chocolate's like magic?
Birdie nodded sagely.
Indeed, the Mayans believed it was a gift from the gods.
And that's why, even today, people love chocolate.
It's not just food, it's a little bit of magic in every bite.
Jake smiled, his earlier gloom lifting a bit.
That's an awesome story birdie, but now i could really do with some chocolate.
Do you happen to have some Birdie?
Looked under his wing but couldn't find any.
It wasn't easy for Jake to fall asleep.
But when he finally drifted off, he dreamt of the Mayan magic chocolate tree.
In the morning, when Mum woke him up, he said sleepily Mum Birdie told me about a magic chocolate tree in Mexico.
He says it's a gift from the gods and its chocolate fruit is really good for you and it even makes you clever and helps pass all your tests and exams.
Oh birdie, this and birdie that, sighed mum giving her usual response come on dreamy head time to get up for school.
Jake spent the next few days waiting for Birdie to visit again.
Each night, he'd glance at his window, hoping to see the familiar black silhouette.
But there was no sign of his feathered friend.
As the days went by, Jake began to worry.
What if Birdie wasn't coming back?
Finally, one evening as the sky darkened, Jake heard a faint tap at his window.
His heart leapt and he rushed over to find Birdie perched on the window sill.
Only he noticed a small mysterious object held delicately in his beak.
Birdie, where have you been?
I was so worried.
Jake demanded opening the window to let him in.
Birdie hopped onto Jake's desk, carefully placing the object down.
It was a small ancient looking bean, almost glowing with a faint magical aura.
Sorry for the delay, Jake.
I had to make a special trip, you see.
Jake's eyes widened as he looked at the bean.
What is that?
Birdie puffed up his chest proudly.
This, my dear Jake.
That is a magic cocoa bean.
I brought it all the way back from ancient Mexico.
It wasn't easy.
I had to travel through time and space to get it, but it's worth it.
Jake stared in awe.
A magic cocoa bean?
What does it do?
Birdie's eyes had a knowing look.
This bean is special.
If you plant it, it will grow into a tree, just like the one the Mayans had.
And instead of ordinary cocoa beans, it will bear fruit.
Filled with only the crumbliest, flakiest chocolate.
Tastes like chocolate never tasted before.
Jake could hardly believe his ears.
Can we plant it now, can we? he asked excitedly.
Will it really grow?
Only one way to find out.
Birdie said nodding towards the garden outside.
Follow my instructions carefully and you might just have a magical tree all of your own.
Jake wasted no time.
He grabbed a small spade and, with Birdie guiding him, planted the bean in a sunny spot in the garden.
He watered it gently. just as Birdie instructed, and then waited.
To Jake's amazement, the very next morning, a tiny green sprout had appeared.
Over the following days, the sprout grew into a sapling and then into a fully fledged tree.
Much faster than any normal plant, Jake's parents noticed the tree but thought little of it.
Just another one of Jake's gardening projects, they assumed.
But this tree was different.
Its leaves were dark and glossy and the air around it seemed to hum with a faint energy.
And then, just before Jake's exams, the tree began to bear fruit.
Instead of the usual cocoa pods, the branches were heavy with shiny pearls of chocolate, each one perfectly formed and smelling divine.
Jake's parents were puzzled but intrigued.
Dad was the first to try the chocolate.
Oh my! that's absolutely delicious he declared savoring every bite mum hesitated but couldn't resist the tempting aroma she tried a piece and was soon smiling in delight even jake's little sister l who was usually picky couldn't get enough of this magical chocolate a week later Birdie returned, perching on Jake's windowsill with a knowing look in his sharp eyes.
Well, Jake, how did it go?
Jake beamed.
It worked, Birdie.
The chocolate from the tree is amazing.
And something even better happened.
Dad got a promotion at work.
Mum got new customers for her business.
Elle won the 200 metres dash at Sports Day.
And I passed all my exams.
It's all thanks to the magic chocolate.
Birdie chuckled softly.
A little magic and a little chocolate can indeed do wonders.
But remember, Jake.
The true power wasn't just in the chocolate.
It was in the belief and the hope and the effort that everyone put in.
Jake nodded, understanding Birdie's wisdom.
I'll never forget that, Birdie.
And Mum and Dad were very happy because Jake and his little sister Elle had stopped nagging them all day long for sweets and chocolate.
And do you know what?
When the kids next visited the dentist, instead of the usual lecture from the hygienist, they all received praise at how well they were taking care of their teeth.
And when Jake declared that it was all down to Birdie, Even Mum smiled and said One day I'll have to meet that little bird and thank him.
And that was Birdie and the Magic Chocolate Tree.
Read by me, Jana, for StoryNori.com.
Come back soon for more exciting stories.
From me, Jana, bye for now.
