by Phineas Phiddlephaddle
It was Phiddleberry Friday. Children were enjoying their weekly Phiddleberry feast with the birds of the air. And since Phiddle children under the age of seven can speak to animals and birds, they were also enjoying some pleasant conversation. Usually, this conversation involves questions like “What is it like to fly?” Or “Why do you play with small wooden boats?” But on this Phiddleberry Friday, the conversation took a surprising turn.
A hawk named Joey — that wasn’t really his name. Bird names are hard for humans to pronounce, so the children just called him Joey — told Reginald Dooropener about an animal that sang to him.
“I was flying over Phiddle Mountain when I looked down and saw a warble. To my surprise, it stood up on its hind legs and began to sing. I thought it a curious thing, so I circled back around, and it did it again. Now every time I fly over a warble it rises and sings, Joey said.”
“What is a warble?” Reginald asked.
“A warble is an animal that lives only on top of Phiddle Mountain. It has shaggy fur, long legs, and long ears.”
“And it can sing?”
“Oh yes. I thought songbirds were good singers, but the warble sings the most beautiful melodies I have ever heard. Their singing is even more beautiful than Rachel Mellifluous’ singing.” [Rachel Mellifluous is considered the island’s best singer. She often brings tears of emotion to her listeners when she sings.]
“What do they sing?”
“That is the problem. I only speak hawk. I cannot understand the words of the song. How I would love to know what they are singing.”
“Perhaps I could translate for you.”
“That would be marvelous. Except, as you know, Phiddle Mountain is shaped like a stovepipe hat. No adult human has ever climbed it. A child would have no chance. And you are too heavy for me to fly you up there.”
“I will ask Professor Tinkerhoffer to fly me up there in his hot-air balloon.”
“Do you think he would?”
“I don’t see why not? I shall go right after I finish my toast and Phiddleberry jam.”
Reginald entered Professor Tinkerhoffer's workshop and found the old man working on his latest invention.
“Reginald, my boy. Look what I have invented. I call it The Pancake Griddle Hat. It’s quite simple in conception. I simply added a metal plate to a standard bowler hat. Now, before I go on my morning walk, I add a few dollops of pancake batter to the top of the hat. By the time I return, the sun has cooked the pancakes to a nice golden brown texture. I am currently installing the syrup dispenser. Would you care to join me on my walk?” the Professor asked.
“Normally, I would be happy to join you on a walk. But today I have come to ask a favor.”
“A favor? How curious. What is it you seek?”
“A ride in your hot-air balloon. You see, I was talking to Joey the Hawk this morning, and he told the most wonderful story about an animal called a warble that lives on top of Phiddle Mountain. He says the warbles sing to him whenever he flies over. He would like me to listen to the songs they sing and translate them for him.”
“Well, that is astounding. Even more astounding is the fact that I never thought to visit the top of Phiddle Mountain in my hot-air balloon. Sometimes I get so wrapped up in inventing that I fail to see the wonders all around me. I must remedy that oversight.”
“So you will take me?”
“Of course! It sounds like a fine adventure. You must seek your parents’ permission. Perhaps one of them would like to join us. We will leave in the morning when the air is cool. Run home now, lad. There is much to prepare.”
The following morning, the sun shone brightly, and the temperature was cool and refreshing. Reginald and his father, Arthur, arrived at the Professor’s workshop excited to begin their adventure.
“Good morning, Professor!” Arthur called out as they approached. “A beautiful day for flying, is it not?”
“It is indeed,” the Professor replied.
The Professor had decided to wear his Pancake Griddle Hat to test how it worked at higher altitudes.
Arthur and the Professor got the hot-air balloon filled with heated air, and the three of them climbed aboard. The Professor opened the burner, and the balloon began to rise. If you have never ridden in a hot-air balloon, you must be sure to put it on your priority list, for it is a fantastic thing.
They slowly and silently climbed higher and higher into the sky. The Professor was an excellent balloon pilot and soon found favorable winds to steer them toward Phiddle Mountain.
Professor Tinkerhoffer never tired of flying his hot-air balloon and was happy for an excuse to go for another ride. Arthur and Reginald were also having a splendid time. Arthur was pointing out landmarks as they flew across the island toward their destination.
After a pleasant journey, they reach the top of Phiddle Mountain. The top of the mountain was surprisingly flat with many open areas to land. They had no trouble finding a spot to put down. They grew closer and closer to the ground, and with a slight bump, they landed. The balloon basket dragged for a few feet. Then, as the balloon deflated and fell to the ground, it pulled the basket over onto its side. This is the usual way of things with hot-air balloons. They climbed out of the basket, stood up, and looked around.
The Professor looked down and saw three pancakes lying on the ground. “Oh dear. It seems I forgot to consider the landing when I decided to wear my Pancake Griddle Hat.”
“Have no fear, Professor. We packed some toast and Phiddleberry jam in case we got hungry,” Reginald said.
“Clever lad.”
They packed up the balloon and stowed it next to an unusually large rock so they could find it easily on their return. Then they enjoyed a delicious slice of toast and jam. As they were almost finished eating their toast, Joey, the hawk, landed.
Reginald offered Joey some Phiddleberries, which he eagerly accepted, and then they had a short conversation.
“Joey will circle the top of the mountain. When he finds a warble, he will cry out and continue to circle. We can use him as our guide. He thinks we should try to remain out of sight so the warbles won’t get nervous and be too frightened to sing. They have never seen a human up close, only from an extreme distance, looking down from the edge of the mountain.”
“A fine plan,” the Professor said.
Arthur agreed.
Joey flew over the mountain top and soon spotted a warble. As usual, it rose on its hind legs and began to sing. Joey cried out and circled. The trio of adventurers heard the cry and headed in its direction.
As they crept closer, crawling on their bellies in the tall grass, they noticed that several warbles had joined together and were all standing and singing to Joey.
“Astounding.” Professor Tinkerhoffer whispered.
“Truly,” Arthur whispered back.
Reginald stared in wonder. Then he remembered he was supposed to translate. He pulled a small notebook and pencil out of his pocket and wrote down the lyrics of the warble’s song.
Great bird in flight
We envy the sight
As you gracefully glide on the wind
Free to go where you will
Not stuck on this hill
Oh, how we wish we had wings
Our home is quite fair
But we see lands down there
Enticing lands where we may never go
Your freedom is rare
A gift we wish we could share
If only we had your strong wings
Reginald showed the lyrics to his father and Arthur. Then he shouted out something in Hawk. At which Joey returned. Reginald read the lyrics to Joey. Upon hearing the verses, Joey was deeply touched and said something to Reginald.
“Professor, Joey wonders if it would be possible to bring the warbles down in your hot-air balloon?” Reginald said.
“We are of the same mind, as I was thinking the very same thing,” the Professor replied.
“Perhaps you and Joey should approach them together. The Professor and I will watch from a distance. So as not to overwhelm them,” Arthur said.
So Joey stood on Reginald’s shoulder, and they slowly approached the warbles. As they did, Reginald sang a song of greeting in the warble language. The warbles sang a greeting in return and welcomed them. After a few moments of nervousness, they became quick friends. Reginald explained the situation and the Professor’s offer to fly the warbles down to the island below.
“I have dreamed of such a thing for my entire life,” the eldest warble replied. “I would be most grateful.”
It was agreed that they would take the elder warble, whose name was translated as Fluffears, down with them that day for a visit. He would report his findings back to the warbles. Then they could decide if they wished to become lower island dwellers.
The entire warble population, which numbered about two hundred, followed the three humans and the hawk back to the balloon. They prepared the balloon for another trip, and the four of them climbed in. Joey had no need for a balloon and flew down on his own.
Fluffears spent the morning with the trio as they toured the island. He was both amazed and overwhelmed.
“So much noise. Is it always this loud down here?” Fluffears sang.
“Usually. Humans are quite loud,” Reginald replied. “And some are louder than others.” He looked at the Professor and laughed.
“What did you say?” the Professor asked.
“Oh, I just told him your inventions were occasionally noisy.”
“I can’t argue with that.”
“What do humans eat?” Fluffears asked.
“Vegetables, berries, pie, the usual stuff,” Reginald sang.
“What about warble roots?
“Never heard of them.”
“Warble nuts?”
“I don’t think they grow down here.”
“Surely you have Warbleberries? They are our favorite food.”
“Nope. We do have Phiddleberries. You should try some.”
And so they did. The group sat at the picnic table at Jimmy and Betsy Toocalm’s house and dined on some of Betsy’s prize-winning Phiddleberry pie.
“It is quite tasty, but I prefer Warbleberries. I hope you don’t take offense, but what is that unusual smell?”
“You are probably smelling the sheep and goats. They can be stinky. Unlike warbles, I noticed.”
“Thank you. We warbles take care to bathe in the streams regularly. And the mountain air keeps us smelling fresh. I also noticed it is quite warm down here. I have been sweating ever since we arrived.”
“The temperature at the top of the mountain is much cooler. This is only spring. It will get even hotter.”
“Hotter?! I can’t imagine it,” Fluffears sang.
After a full day of visiting the island, Fluffears was given the guest room at the Dooropener farmhouse. They shared stories of each other’s lives late into the night. The next morning, the Professor, Reginald, and Grace — Reginald’s mother — flew Fluffears back to the top of the mountain.
Fluffears told the warbles of his adventure and all that he had learned. He decided that the island floor was an exciting place to visit, but it paled in comparison to the beautiful views, cool air, and delicious food only found on top of Phiddle Mountain. So he chose to remain in their current warble home, although he hoped that each warble would have an opportunity to visit the low lands and decide for themselves.
The Professor agreed that this was a wise decision. And so he shuttled all the warbles down, four at a time, until all the warbles had visited the low lands. In the end, the warbles all agreed that the top of the mountain was indeed the better place for warbles to live. The folks of the low lands understood and took no offense.
The Professor still visits the top of Phiddle Mountain once every month to bring warble guests down for day visits. At the same time, he brings Phiddle humans up to see the top of the mountain and spend the day with the warbles and enjoy the views.
How did warbles get to the top of Phiddle Mountain in the first place? No one knows. It remains one of the many mysteries on the island of Phiddle.
Thanks for reading and responding. You make it fun.
Mark
No need to phiddle any more with this story! It's perfect!
So many of us are like the Warbles. We travel all over the world, delighted to taste the food, smell the air, see the landscape, meet those of different cultures. But most of us want to go back home where everything is familiar ... and "normal". I am glad you wrote that the Warbles and Phiddles are continuing their cross-cultural exchange.