Layla’s Secret Surprise
Poppy the parrot repeats everything he hears, including the secret surprise party!
It was nearly Captain Moe’s birthday, and Layla had a secret plan. ‘We’ll give the Captain a map of a secret island!’ she whispered. ‘But nobody must say a word.’ Poppy the parrot nodded very seriously.
But Poppy was a parrot, and parrots repeat everything. When Moe walked by, Poppy said, ‘SECRET! SECRET! A map of a secret island!’ Layla jumped up. ‘Er, nothing!’ she said. ‘It’s just Poppy being silly.’
Moe raised an eyebrow. ‘A secret?’ he said. ‘What secret?’ Poppy opened her beak. Layla quickly stuffed a cracker in it. Poppy said, ‘Mmph! Mmph!’ which was the nearest she could get.
All week, Layla had to guard the surprise. She hid it down in the hold. She kept Poppy busy with crackers and games. Poppy nearly told again three times. Once, Poppy even began to sing the whole plan.
On the big day, Moe stepped onto the deck, and everyone jumped up. ‘SURPRISE!’ they shouted. Moe looked so astonished. And then Poppy flapped up and squawked, ‘HAPPY BIRTHDAY!’ before anyone else could.
Moe laughed so much that his hat fell off. ‘I knew there was a secret,’ he said, ‘but I didn’t know it would be such a good one.’ Layla gave Moe a map of a secret island, and Poppy got the biggest cracker.
The little lesson
Keeping a surprise secret is hard, but the surprise is worth waiting for.
Let’s talk about it
- Have you ever kept a secret?
- What surprise would you plan for a friend?
Finish stories to collect Layla as a sticker in your Sticker Book.
More Pirates stories
Ben’s Parrot Who Told Secrets
Pip the parrot repeats everything he hears, including the secret surprise party!
Squawk! Wally’s Pirate Secret
Rosie the parrot repeats everything he hears, including the secret surprise party!
Omar’s Treasure Was a Friend
Omar digs up a chest. There’s no gold inside, just a note that says ‘look behind you’.
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