Timidly Lyla approached the house and stood listening at the door. She could hear children's voices from inside, mingled with music. Snatches of a song drifted out to her through the window: 'Long time ago in Bethlehem... born on Christmas day... Hark! Now hear the angels sing... man will live for evermore because of Christmas day!'

Plucking up enough courage, she walked into the house. The party was in full swing, what with games and music, and of course, cakes and sweets! Santa Clause gave presents to everyone. Time just flew.  Things began to wind down a little, but the children still lingered in the garden. Nobody seemed in a great hurry to go home.

Almost all the presents had been opened and admired. Lyla had wanted to open hers, but decided to wait till she got home. What fun it would be to share the surprise with her parents!

Leaving the parcel in a corner of the lawn, she joined in the last game for the evening. Suddenly there was a commotion. A beautiful pigeon had landed on the lawn! A moment of astonished silence fell on the gathering.

Then everybody shouted all at once. The hostess raised her voice. "Quiet please! Don't frighten it." The children watched fascinated, while the bird strutted about, turning its head this way and that, peering into the flower beds. One little boy made an attempt to touch it. The bird stepped deftly out of his reach. "Please don't do that!" said the lady. But the bird behaved as if no one was there, and continued to inspect the garden. A second boy tried his luck, but in vain. "I told you don't do that!" said the lady. The bird merely fluttered his blue tinted wings and boldly went about his investigations completely ignoring the children.

And then it happened. It caught sight of the parcel - Lyla's gift! The neck craned eagerly. The children held their breath. In one swift movement the beak closed around the ribbon and up went the parcel and the bird! All eyes watched the smooth flight, while a cry of amazement rose up and came down like a sudden shower of rain.

"Whose present was that?" asked the hostess.

"Mine," replied Lyla sadly.  "How sad!" said everybody.

But to tell the truth, it had been great fun to see the bird making off with the parcel in such a businesslike way! "I could easily catch that bird!" boasted a boy. While the conversation continued, the hostess gave Lyla some chocolates. The children left, taking their gifts with them.

Lyla walked home wondering what her parcel might have contained. She hoped that at least she had made a bird happy…

Meanwhile, our daring little pigeon flew home. "Now Pokey," said his owner, Mr. Kumar. "What is this? You know very well this is nothing but daylight robbery!" Pokey avoided eye contact… "Let me see if there's a name on it…" continued Mr. Kumar. "Ah! It says 'Lyla' here. I wonder where this little girl might be…Come on, Pokey, show me where you found this!"

Now, it must be said in favour of Pokey that he was an obedient fellow, though given to poking his beak into things. So up he flew and perched on his master's shoulder. Out on the road, Mr. Kumar said, "Lead the way."

Pokey looked at the sky, turning his head about till he got his bearing. Then he took off and flew a little a little distance and sat on a wall. Mr. Kumar followed. The bird kept on leading the way.

"You are the giddy limit, Pokey!" grumbled Mr. Kumar. "I hope you realize you made some child very unhappy!" Whether pokey understood or not, they reached the house at last, just as the sun was dipping below the horizon. Mr. Kumar lifted the latch, and entered the garden. Pokey helpfully stood on the lawn, as if to say, "This is where it was!"

A surprised lady opened the door. "Oh thank you, Lyla will be happy," she said.

"Please tell me where the child lives" said Mr. Kumar. "My pigeon would like to return the parcel personally."

Minutes later, at Lyla's door, Mr. Kumar put the parcel in the bird's beak. A sheepish looking bird presented the gift to Lyla.

"May I touch his feathers?" she begged. Pokey flew up to her shoulder, quite flattered.

That was the Christmas Lyla got a new friend who was to pay her flying visits. As for  Pokey, his Christmas present was a new friend, too!