Russell Robin Discovers his Song (continued)

His parent’s faces were filled with joy! It was the first note Russell ever sang. “Thank you so much, Tamara!” they exclaimed.

“Not so fast,” Tamara warned, “Russell will need to practice every day if he wants to be in the concert. Russell, from now on, when you are practicing, you must first concentrate on the star, look at it closely. After you see nothing but the star, take four slow deep breaths and start singing on the fourth breath. On the day of your audition, I want you to imagine that the crystal star is in front of you, remember how how it dances in the light. Then, just like you practiced, take four slow deep breaths and sing on the fourth breath”

A month went by, one day the Tamara decided to pay a visit to the robins. The parents were very happy, the audition for the forest concert went very well, and small Russell had a branch of his own from which to sing.

"Well, well, that is wonderful! So, let me hear my star pupil sing." she said with a wink and a smile.

The young robin, stared into the crystal star, then he took one breath, another, a third and on the fourth breath he began to sing, "Cheer up, cheer up, cheerily, cheer up, cheer up, cheeerily." His notes rang bright and loud and clear. "Cheer up, cheer up, cheerily, cheer up, cheer up, cheeerily." The beauty and brightness of the song made the old owl feel as though spring was around the corner.