Harriet’s Garden Guest

Harriet and Brenda play beside Grandma’s garden hedge. They hear a tiny song behind the leaves. Neither girl can see what is making the sound.

Brenda steps closer, and the song suddenly stops. A branch shakes near the bottom of the hedge. The girls wonder if their noisy footsteps frightened the visitor.

Grandma invites them to sit quietly on the patio bench. They leave space beside the hedge and wait. They watch the open ground without reaching between the branches.

After a while, a robin hops out beneath the leaves. Harriet notices its orange breast and whispers to Brenda. Brenda keeps her feet still beside the bench.

The robin moves towards a shallow dish of clean water near the patio. It dips its beak, then lifts its head while the girls watch without getting up to follow.

Grandma explains that the hedge gives small birds somewhere to hide. Harriet looks from the thick leaves to the open patio. Now she understands why the robin waited.

Brenda draws the bird after it hops back towards the hedge. Harriet adds the water dish to their picture. Their guest found a drink as well as shelter.

The robin flies to a branch, sings again and disappears into the garden. The girls return to their game farther from the hedge, leaving its quiet corner for another visit.