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“His First Flight” is a short story written by Liam O’Flaherty. It tells the story of a young seagull that is afraid to fly.
His two brothers and sister have already learnt to fly.
The young seagull remains alone on a narrow ledge.
He thinks that his wings will not support his body.
The vast sea far below makes him extremely frightened.
His parents call, scold and encourage him to fly.
They even threaten to leave him without food.
Still, he cannot gather enough courage to jump.
His parents then leave him alone on the ledge.
He watches them teach his brothers and sister how to fly and catch fish.
He also sees his elder brother catch and eat his first fish.
The young seagull becomes extremely hungry.
He searches the entire ledge but cannot find anything to eat.
He even tries to eat the dried pieces of eggshell.
He looks for another way to reach his family without flying.
However, the steep cliff and a deep crack prevent him from reaching them.
He pretends to sleep, hoping that his family will notice him.
Only his mother continues to watch him.
She takes a piece of fish and flies towards him.
The young seagull eagerly waits for the food.
His mother stops in the air with the fish just beyond his reach.
Driven by hunger, he jumps towards the fish.
He falls down from the ledge and becomes terrified.
Soon, his wings spread naturally, and he begins to fly.
He realises that his wings are strong enough to support him.
His fear disappears, and he flies happily in the sky.
His parents, brothers and sister fly around him and encourage him.
He then tries to land on the green sea.
At first, he becomes frightened when his feet sink into the water.
Soon, he realises that he can float safely on the sea.
His family praises him and offers him pieces of fish.
The young seagull successfully completes his first flight.
The story teaches us to overcome fear through courage and self-confidence.
It also shows that parents may sometimes appear strict because they want their children to become confident and independent.
