There was one piece of bread left in the Tacsi house, which was so dry that Mama Tacsi wanted to throw it out. But Little Paci had a better idea:
- Let's go to the Big River and give it to the wild ducks!
Mama Tacsi gave her baby a nod of agreement:
- Wow! Let's go! I'm sure the waterfowl will be happy for anything to eat in this cold weather!
Mama Tacsi cut the bread into small cubes and put them in her green basket.
Being winter, they dressed warmly and set off for the Great River. Daddy Tacsi went with them, politely carrying Mummy Tacsi's green basket with pieces of bread for the birds.
The quacking of wild ducks could be heard from far away. Little Piggy was skipping merrily towards them.
When they reached the water's edge, the wild ducks immediately flocked around them. Father Tacsi took a piece of bread from the basket and gave it to his baby. Little Tacsi was swinging his paw to toss the bread to the birds when one of the old mallards with the colourful feathers called out:
- Please don't feed us anything, we have enough food here for ourselves!
Little Tacsi and her parents were very surprised.
- So who do we give the pieces of bread to? - asked Daddy Ducky to the wild ducks.
- Ask the Beaver! He knows all about animals. He lives not far from here, in the Beaver Castle. - The old duck pointed with his wings in the direction.
So Little Tacsi, Mummy Tacsi and Daddy Tacsi went to visit the Beaver in the Beaver Castle.
The Beaver welcomed them kindly. When he heard that Tiny Tatsy wanted to feed the birds, he pushed a large portion of sunflower seeds into his paws.
- Come on, Little Dipper, throw this in the bird feeder! The songbirds will love it! And you can watch from my window while they eat.
Little Tacsi was eager to run to the birdhouse. With the Beaver's help, he sprinkled the sunflower seeds into the feeder and hurried to the Beaver's window. From there he watched for the songbirds to arrive.
Soon a sparrow appeared, followed by a chaffinch and a thrush. News of the fresh seeds spread quickly among the birds. Soon they were flocking to the feeder. Little Tacsi watched them happily.
Meanwhile the snow started to fall. By the time the sunflower seeds ran out, a white blanket of snow covered everything: the trees, the Beaver Lodge and even the bird feeder.
- Time to go. Thank you very much, Uncle Beaver!" said the Tacsi family as they said goodbye to their new friend.
- You are very welcome! Come again!
Tiny Tacsi, Mummy Tacsi and Daddy Tacsi set off home in the snowfall. The fresh snow crunched under their feet!
- We could make a bird feeder at home! - Little Tacsi exclaimed enthusiastically and caught a snowflake in mid-air. - Then we could feed the birds every day and watch them from our window!
- This is a very good idea! - Father Tacsi agreed, then smiled and said, "And you don't even need dry bread. We should make breadcrumbs out of it!
