THE FLEDGLING - ENG - JANE LANGTON by JANE LANGTON

Author:JANE LANGTON
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: THE FLEDGLING; ENGLISH; NEWBERY HONOR BOOK

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her muscles to go limp, [jetting go, she slid down the feathery slope of his back until she felt something nudge at her from below. It was a pillow of air, lifting her, holding her steadily and firmly like the palm of a supporting hand. Then at last all the stringy little muscles in Georgie's body loosened. Spreading her arms, she floated on the column of air. Beside her, the Goose Prince floated too, watching her, his hovering wing tips brushing her fingers. Together they drifted, wheeling down and down in slowly descending circles broad and wide, around and around the pond. Gcorgie wanted to say, “Oh, look, look at me!" hut whenever she opened her mouth, the wind filled it. They were floating, soaring, skimming like sea gulls, tike hawks, like swallows. Above them there was nothing hut-crystal air, and below them—and then for the first time Georgia looked down, and at once she was frightened The emptiness below her was an immense gulf of nothingness. There was only [he steely surface of the gray pond, far down, flat like metal, and the dark bristle of the trees poking up around it- Georgie gave a strangled cry, and dropped one arm.

Instantly she was falling, spinning over and over, plummeting straight down. But only for an instant. With a tremendous jerk and a terrible pinching pain in her left arm. she was snatched out of her plunging fall. The Goose Prince was dragging her through the air, his wings thundering, struggling to hold her aloft. And soon he was lowering

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her gently to the ground on the nearest shore,

Georgie lay on the stony path for a moment, trying not to cry, and then she stood up, trembling, rubbing her arm. "fttl sorryshe said.

But the Goose Prince was gallant. lHQh, h'sqmte ail right," he said. “1 hope 1 didn't hurt you?"

“No, no," said Georgie. “Could we try again?”

“Try again? Are you sure?" The Goose Prince cocked his head at her, and she couldn’t help laughing. In his tender concert) he looked for a minute more like her mother than like the splendid prince he really was.

“Oh, yes!"

They tried again. Once more the Goose Prince paddled out into the water, once more they took off in a rush of beating wings* once more he lifted Georgie high over the pond. And once again Georgie let go. This lime when she clenched her teeth and slid off the back of the Goose Prince, she was careful not to look down. This time she lay perfectly still on the cushion of air. Keeping her arms spread wide, sht1 circled like the Goose Prince as he nested beside her on the same sturdy ridge of warm vapor rising from the pond. She was safe now, perfectly safe. Watching her companion out of the corner of her eye, Georgie obediently copied his slightest motion. Whenever he adjusted the curve of his pinions to change the direction of his flight, Georgie bent her elbows too, and followed his lead.

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