Tiny was the smallest of the brothers and sisters. Mama Cinke was very protective of him even when he was still an egg, because she was afraid that the tiny egg would roll away somewhere in the nest, disappear from her sight, and then she wouldn't be able to warm it with her body, and the chick might not hatch.
In summer, the little birds were doing very well. They just chirped and gobbled, sometimes catching insects in the air, sometimes catching them in their beaks from the grass. In short, it was a wonderful summer. Everyone was happy, full and content.
But the temporary cool autumn weather that followed the summer was soon replaced by a harsh winter. The beetles no longer did their light dance in the air, and there was not a scrap of food to be picked from the bruised grass. The goat family was starving.
When they weren't perched on the branches of the high-crowned, leafless poplar trees, they would occasionally fly out towards the houses to warm themselves in the chimney smoke billowing skywards.
So did Tiny, when, during a long flight, something flashed before his eyes. From the window of a garden house, a sparkling, brightly coloured light shone out onto the street.
He got down on the windowsill and stared inwards. Beyond the glass, in the room, was a huge green pine tree. But not as plain as the one outside in the park, it was ornamented from head to toe. It was adorned with glittering glass lamps, glittering orbs, and garlands of duckling garlands.
Tiny was quite absorbed in the sight. But then two curious children's faces approached the window, startling her, and she took wing, and whoosh, she was gone.
The next day, on his usual warming tour, he visited the bright Christmas tree gleaming through the window. Again, the tree impressed him, but suddenly he noticed that someone had put some cologne on the windowsill. Hungry, he eagerly set to work and quickly snapped up the seeds.
Looking up from his meal, he suddenly found himself once again confronted by the eyes of children, smiling and watching him with interest. The window had not opened, no one had disturbed Tiny, so he was in no hurry to eat. Finished eating, he admired the magnificent tree a little longer and then set off.
It was only at home, after settling in with his doddering brothers and sisters, that he remembered that he was well fed but his family was still starving. He was almost ashamed that he had been so dazzled by the magnificent Christmas tree and had just snacked on the candy, not thinking of his loved ones.
The next day, she couldn't resist her curiosity. Was the tree of magical beauty still there?
He flew straight over, and was surprised to see the cologne eyes, in a thin line of string, had been strewn along the windowsill. He took the seeds eye by eye to enjoy his meal as long as possible, when suddenly all the food was gone.
He was sad to be greedy again, with no thought of his mum or his hungry siblings, when a small tree hanging from a nearby branch on the edge of the ledge caught his attention. It was a cottage with four little pillars and a neat roof, but the most beautiful thing about it was that its floor was covered with lots and lots of cologne!
Picinke immediately took to the air, and flew as fast as his feeble little wings could carry him, to fetch his family. He coaxed them to follow him, that he had found food, and he turned back.
The yellow and black-winged finches swarmed the tree house, happily nibbling the oily seeds, which warmed them up and kept them warm for a long time, enjoying the beautiful pine tree.
And on the other side of the window, the dad preparing the bird feeder and the children tending the bird feeders were happy to see the happy finches. And that's what made Christmas, the celebration of love, so complete.
