The Legend of the Green Bird
Long ago, the jungle was a happy place. The sun was hot and bright.
There were many birds in the trees. Some were blue. Some were red.
But the Quetzal bird was not bright. He was plain and grey.
He had short wings and a short tail. He felt very sad.
He wanted to be pretty like the flowers. He wanted to help the people.
The people in the village were artists. They made many things.
They made soft rugs. They made tall pots. They made big stone walls.
But they did not have a special color. They needed a new kind of green.
One day, the bird flew to the top of a mountain. He talked to the Great Spirit.
"Please help me," the bird said. "I want to be useful."
The Spirit liked the kind bird. The Spirit touched the bird’s back.
Suddenly, the bird changed. His feathers turned a deep, bright green.
His tail grew very long. It waved in the wind like a ribbon.
The feathers shimmered in the light. They looked like green gold.
The bird flew back to the village. The people stopped their work.
"Look at the sky!" they shouted. They saw the green trail.
The weavers took their thread. They dyed it the color of the bird.
- Quetzal:
- A type of bird known for its very long, bright green tail feathers.
- Symbol:
- An object or animal that stands for an idea, like beauty or art.
- Spirit:
- A powerful, magical being that people in stories talk to for help.
- shimmered:
- Shone with a soft, flickering or sparkling light.
- weavers:
- People who make cloth or rugs by crossing threads together.
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1At the start of the story, what color were the Quetzal bird's feathers?
- 2Why did the Quetzal bird feel sad about his appearance?
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About this fiction passage for Lower Elementary
“The Legend of the Green Bird” is a fiction reading passage about Art Legend, written for Lower Elementary. It takes about 2 minutes to read (294 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.