Adaptation of the story by Gustavo Roldán

In a remote forest, hundreds of different little birds sang their most beautiful melodies every day. There were of all kinds and conditions. Some, for example, had a low, graceful trill, while others sang in a tone as sweet as a piccolo. There was also a lot of variety according to color: brown birds, blue and white birds, green birds with speckled beaks …

Among them was one that was very popular because it had been lucky enough to be born with spectacular plumage, with more colors than the rainbow itself. It was the most beautiful bird, but also the one you most envied.

One day, a black magpie, dying of jealousy, shouted at him in his characteristic broken and unpleasant voice:

– Cra cre cri, Little Patched Bird, cri cro cru! Cra cre cri, Little Patched Bird, cri cro cru!

The little bird didn’t even look at her, but the magpie kept making fun of him.

– From now on I’ll call you Patched Bird, do you know why? … Well, because you have a feather of each color and it seems that you are wearing an old suit full of patches. Cri cro cru!

The bird did not care and with the nickname of Patched Bird stayed.

One sunny morning, Patched Bird perched on the branch of one of the tallest trees in the forest. He was singing happily when suddenly a sinister eagle hovered over him, caught him by surprise with its strong beak and took him flying away.

Poor Patched Bird felt how the ground receded and faded more and more. He was shaking like a pudding and he thought it was the end of his life.

– Oh no! I’m afraid that tonight the baby eagles are going to dine on a succulent little bird of colors … And I am that dinner!

Meanwhile down in the woods there was a tremendous commotion. All the birds, who were very fond of Pajarito Pajarito Pajarito, began to scream and cry when they saw that the eagle took their dear friend away.

– The eagle has kidnapped Little Patched Bird!

– We have to do something!

– Poor Little Patched Bird, he doesn’t deserve it!

“We’ll get that thief to free him!”

Pajarito Pajarito, who had very good hearing, listened to the desperate cries of his friends while he felt the unbearable pressure of the eagle’s beak on his fragile little body. He had little time left and he had to find a quick and efficient way to get out of the situation. It was a matter of life and death!

He thought fast and realized something very important: the only chance he had to save his life was by getting the eagle to open its beak, so he went for it.

– Lady Eagle, are you hearing what those birds are saying down there? They are insulting her! They are calling her a thief! Are you not going to answer them?

The eagle kept flapping its wings, pretending not to hear the boos.

– Give us back our friend!

– This is shameful! Abusive!

– Damn eagle, drop it at once!

Little Patched Bird was running out of strength and soon enough to reach the nest where the hungry eaglets were waiting. He had to keep trying!

– Eagle Lady … Can’t you hear them? But tell them something! If I were the queen of the birds, I would not allow myself to be insulted. Please assert yourself!

Now the eagle felt hurt in its pride. She was the queen of the sky, the most respected and admired of all the birds in the world and she could not allow herself to be criticized!

His patience ran out. Tired of insults and being called anything but pretty, she gave a cry that made the clouds tremble:

– Go fry asparagus and get to your business, bunch of gossips! I am the golden eagle and I do what I want!

The eagle fell into the trap! To answer the very foolish woman, she opened her beak and Pajarito Pajarito Memendado was free.

For a few seconds the fragile bird swayed at the mercy of the wind but immediately it straightened up, opened its wings and flew to where its friends were, who excitedly ran to hug it.

Little Patched Bird had managed to save himself thanks to his ingenuity and now he was again with his companions in the forest, laughing and singing as always.

From that day on, Pajarito Remendado was not only famous for his plumage of a thousand colors and for his peculiar nickname, but also for his courage and ability to get out of difficult situations.