The Aderna Bird
Three brothers seek a bird that tells the truth
Preview the first three pages. Sign in to read the whole book.
Explore the libraryRead a preview
The Aderna Bird
The king wanted the Aderna bird, whose song was wonderful and whose voice could speak like a person’s. He promised his daughter’s hand to the one who found it.
But catching the bird was dangerous. Anyone who touched it with an unkind heart might turn to stone.
The Aderna Bird
Diego, Pedro and Juan were brothers. They heard about the Aderna and set out together to capture it.
Their path led over rocky ground into distant mountains. None of them knew which brother would reach the bird.
The Aderna Bird
Diego was the first to catch the Aderna, but the bird’s magic changed him into stone. The bird escaped across the mountain.
Pedro and Juan were shocked. They left Diego’s stone figure behind for the moment and hurried after the bird.
Enjoying the story? Sign in to read the whole book.
Browse all storiesAbout this retelling
Explore this illustrated story at four reading levels. Each level follows the same essential events.
Collection: Southeast Asian tales
Retelling: Tagalog, Philippines · after Philippine Folk-Tales
For parents: The recorded tale includes two brothers turning to stone, their violent attack on Juan, punishment, and Juan’s marriage to the princess. Younger levels describe the attack gently but keep the events
Public-domain source: View the recorded source edition