Be a Heron
Ines wants to see the heron. The heron wants her to keep still.
Early on a Sunday, Ines and Papa walk to the canal to look for the heron. Papa says you have to keep still. Ines tries, and wobbles, and sneezes, and gives up. A quiet, funny story about waiting, for sharing with ages 3–5.
An Again, Please originalAges 3–5English
Be a Heron
Ines wants to see the heron. The heron wants her to keep still.
On Sunday, Papa woke Ines while the sky was still grey. “Can we look for the heron?” she asked. They put their coats on over their pyjamas and walked down to the canal. Nobody else was up. Not even the ducks.
“The heron comes here,” said Papa. “Tall and grey, with legs like sticks. Let’s keep still so we don’t scare it away.” “How still?” said Ines. “Be a heron,” said Papa. And he stood like a lamp post.
Ines stood still. She stood still for ages and ages. She counted to eleven. “Is it coming?” “Be a heron,” said Papa.
Perhaps Ines wasn’t tall enough to be a heron. She stood on tiptoe. She wobbled. She hopped right into a puddle. SPLASH. One duck woke up to see what the noise was. It was not a heron.
Ines tried being quiet. She was so quiet she could hear her own nose. Then her nose sneezed. Three ducks and a moorhen left in a hurry. “Be a heron,” said Papa, a bit more quietly.
“Herons are boring,” said Ines. She stuck her hands in her pockets. One boot was full of puddle, so she stood on the other leg. She looked at nothing at all.
Then something came gliding low over the water. Something grey, with its neck tucked in. It unfolded two long legs. It landed beside the reeds. It stood on one leg, and looked at nothing at all.
Ines didn’t move. Papa didn’t move. (Papa was on one leg too.) Three herons stood by the canal, and nobody said anything for a long, long time.
At last the heron opened its wings and flew away over the bridge. Ines put her foot down. Her boot went squelch. “Did you see?” whispered Papa. “Shh,” said Ines. “Be a heron.”
