Noortje goes to school

Noortje cheerfully dances through the garden and every now and then she sings a tune. The swan looks at her in surprise and asks: ‘What is the matter with you?’

Noortje sits down at the water’s edge and she dips her feet underwater.

‘Oh, oh, I’m sure Mom doesn’t like that,’ she grumbles.

‘Don’t worry. We’ll be watching you,’ the crow crows. Her singing had taken him out of his sleep. He lands on top of the swan’s back, who also wants to know why she is so happy today.

The swan wants nothing to do with the crow and tries to shake him off its back, but he fails.

He starts flapping his wings with anger. The crow flies up because it cannot stand the enormous force that the wings cause.

‘Well, what a nasty attitude you have,’ grumbles the crow and he sit down next to Noortje.

Noortje looks at him angrily and points her finger at him. ‘Stay calm or I’ll do something to you,’ she warns him.

Meanwhile, the little swans have also gathered around Noortje and are chatting together. ‘Tell us Noortje, why are you so happy,’ the little black swan asks.

‘Come and sit on my lap,’ Noortje asks. ‘But don’t poop, otherwise my dress will get so dirty.’ Carefully she strokes him over his soft feathers.

The crow has had enough. He is ignored by everyone and furiously he flies over Noortje’s head and poops on her head.

Noortje shouts to him: ‘I will get you,’ and she clenches her fist as she has seen her dad do when he is angry.

Daddy Swan is also angry and flies after the crow. Noortje doesn’t like it anymore and suddenly she finds it no longer important to share her happiness with the others.

‘I’m going home. Mother will be mad at me and maybe I must take a bath. Bah, it’s all the fault of that crow!’

Mother Swan lays her beak on Noortje’s lap and says: ‘Honey, tell us another time why you’re so happy today,’ and together with her children she swims up the lake.

Noortje is dirty and wet. She steps into the kitchen where Mother pours a glass of lemonade for both of them.

‘Are you there, I have a glass of lemonade for us.’

Normally Noortje jumps at the glass, but now she stands still at a distance with her face curved to the ground.

‘Oh dear, what do you look like,’ Mom calls.

Noortje is afraid that she may not be allowed to play in the garden for a week now and that only because she accidentally landed in the water with her feet and because that horrible crow has pooped on her. Mother approaches her and takes her to the bathroom in silence.

‘How do you get so dirty?’

Noortje looks at her guilty and tells her that she accidentally landed with her feet in the water and that the crow has pooped on her head.  ‘Do I get punishment now?’

‘It’s all right, honey. That fantasy of yours. What am I supposed to do with that,’ answers Mother?

Noortje takes her hand and looks with a grumpy face at her. ‘Can I still go to school, tomorrow?’

Mom looks at her with a smile and puts her in the full bath. ‘Warm enough,’ she asks.

Noortje nods and together they have the greatest fun. Balloons are filled with water and thrown back to each other.

‘Well, what a joy here,’ shouts Dad, who has just returned home from work. ‘Do you know why all those swans sits in front of the kitchen door? I could hardly get through it. For a moment I thought that one of those swans said something to me. I can’t believe it.’

Daddy takes Noortje out of the bath and wraps her in a bath towel.

Noortje smiles and shouts: ‘Dad you shouldn’t be fantasizing like that,’ and they all laugh out loud.

 

 

The End