Little Lumpy was so suprised to see the two black birds on the lake; she'd never seen black birds before. What long necks, she thought to herself...and how big they are! "Well, I'll just swim out and see what they are up to", Lumpy said to no one in particular.

"Hey, Black and Blacker! Where'd you two come from? Are you lost?" Lumpy inquired.

"I say there, young whipper-snapper," said the larger of the two, and whom Lumpy thought of as 'Black', "no, we are NOT lost! We have come to rest and make a new home in this cool, tree-protected lake. Isn't that right 'Blacker'...errr...Swanee?"

"Oh, Swansome...you are right, we just want to find a place we can call home," replied Swanee.

"Honnnnnkk...Swanee? Swansome? are those your real names?" laughed Lumpy. "Why would you want to make this lake your home? I mean, there are only us gooses...heehee...geese that live here. Don't you want to live with your own kind?"

To that, Swansome replied "I must tell you, young lady, that we have come from Swamp Lake, and it is getting much too crowded over there; no place to be raising a family, anymore."

"That's right, again, Swansome," Swanee spoke up. "We want our little ones to have a nice place to grow up in and be able to enjoy themselves and be safe." Swanee added, as she unfolded her right wing to reveal her two little ones.

"Oh! you have two little kids...how g-r-e-a-t! Now I'll have someone to play with." Lumpey said with glee.

"Mr. Swansome, Mrs. Swanee...I'm sorry if I was rude to you. I'm really glad you are here...really! Can your little ones come and play?" Lumpy asked. "And, what's their names?"

Swanee answered with a smile on her beak, "I think they'll enjoy playing with you....errr..." "Lumpy, my name's Lumpy." "yes, Lumpy" Swanee continued, "their names are Hope and Charity, and I think they will enjoy playing with you."

So that's how the black swans came to make their home at Lake Liberty. And Little Lumpy knew she would always have Hope and Charity in her life.

© Copyright Jackie (Micke) Jinks - June 2002.