Once upon a time, a little, chubby bird by the name of Benny lived deep within the Wilderness. Benny, a robin, had a lofty ambition to become the best vocalist the woodland had ever heard. The sole issue? To put it mildly, Benny’s voice sounded like a frog that had a cold.
Benny used to get up on the tallest branch in the morning and sing all he could. Sadly, nobody found his song to be enjoyable. The deer fled for safety, the squirrels covered their heads with leaves, and even the bees fled in disarray. Benny, though, remained unwavering.
Oscar the grouchy owl swooped down one day as Benny was blasting out what he believed was a high note.
At that moment, Clara, a cunning crow, descended onto the area. She had been observing Benny’s everyday “performances” and came up with a notion. “Benny,” she wooed, “how about you try singing at night? Since everyone is asleep, nobody will hear you make a mistake.
Benny, excited by the thought, didn’t begin to sing until after dusk. And then, inexplicably, something miraculous occurred. Benny’s voice sounded… lovely in the calm moonlight! The wind wafted his sounds through the woods while the frogs croaked in unison.
Oscar the owl grumbled the following day, saying, “I couldn’t sleep at all last night with that racket!”
“Well, Oscar, they say practice makes perfect — even if the audience is half-asleep!” Benny only grinned.
And starting that evening, Benny
