Once upon a time, there was a magical swan named Saffron. Saffron had vibrant orange feathers that glowed in the sunlight, making him the most beautiful bird in the kingdom. Whenever Saffron flew, his feathers shimmered and sparkled, captivating the hearts of all who saw him. One day, while soaring above the kingdom, Saffron noticed a young boy named Milo, who was chasing his runaway kite through the streets.

Saffron swooped down and picked up the kite with his beak. He gracefully flew towards Milo, dropping the kite right into his hands. Amazed, Milo exclaimed, “Wow, thank you, Saffron! You’re incredible!” Saffron smiled and nodded, enjoying the boy’s admiration. Milo and Saffron quickly became the best of friends, embarking on magical adventures together.

But one day, the evil sorcerer named Malachi discovered Saffron’s enchanting feathers. Consumed by envy, Malachi captured Saffron and imprisoned him in a hidden tower. Milo, determined to save his friend, set off on a treacherous journey to confront Malachi. Along the way, he encountered talking animals, tricky riddles, and many obstacles, but he never lost hope.

Finally, after a series of twists and turns, Milo reached the tower where Saffron was held captive. Just as Milo approached the tower, a sudden thunderstorm erupted, and a bolt of lightning struck the tower. The power of the lightning infused Saffron’s feathers with even more magic. With newfound strength, Saffron smashed through the tower’s walls, breaking free.

Together, Milo and Saffron defeated Malachi, revealing the sorcerer’s heart that was filled with envy and hatred. The positive lesson they had learned was that friendship and kindness always triumph over jealousy and negativity. Saffron’s magical feathers were now sought by everyone in the kingdom, but he decided to use his powers to bring joy to the lives of others.

From that day forward, Saffron became a symbol of hope and happiness. He used his magical abilities to heal the sick, bring laughter to the lonely, and grant wishes to those in need. Whenever Saffron flew overhead, people would smile and feel a warm glow inside. His adventures with Milo were remembered as legendary tales of bravery and friendship, reminding everyone that true magic lies within the power of love and compassion.

🎧 Listen:

📖 Vocabulary:

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What made Saffron the most beautiful bird in the kingdom?
2. How did Saffron help Milo when he noticed him chasing his runaway kite?
3. Why did the evil sorcerer, Malachi, capture Saffron?
4. What obstacles did Milo encounter on his journey to save Saffron?
5. How did Saffron’s feathers become even more magical?
6. How did Milo and Saffron defeat Malachi?
7. What lesson did Milo and Saffron learn from their adventure?
8. How did Saffron use his magical abilities to bring joy to others?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Once upon a time, there was a (1)______ swan named Saffron. Saffron had vibrant orange feathers that glowed in the sunlight, making him the most beautiful bird in the (2)______. Whenever Saffron flew, his feathers shimmered and (3)______, (4)______ the hearts of all who saw him. One day, while soaring above the kingdom, Saffron noticed a young boy named Milo, who was chasing his runaway kite through the streets.

Saffron swooped down and picked up the kite with his beak. He gracefully flew towards Milo, dropping the kite right into his hands. Amazed, Milo exclaimed, “Wow, thank you, Saffron! You’re incredible!” Saffron smiled and nodded, enjoying the boy’s admiration. Milo and Saffron quickly became the best of friends, embarking on magical (5)______ together.

But one day, the evil sorcerer named Malachi discovered Saffron’s enchanting feathers. Consumed by envy, Malachi captured Saffron and imprisoned him in a hidden (6)______. Milo, determined to save his friend, set off on a (7)______ journey to confront Malachi. Along the way, he encountered (8)______ animals, tricky riddles, and many obstacles, but he never lost hope.

Finally, after a (9)______ of twists and turns, Milo reached the tower where Saffron was held (10)______. Just as Milo approached the tower, a sudden thunderstorm erupted, and a bolt of lightning struck the tower. The power of the lightning (11)______ Saffron’s feathers with even more magic. With newfound strength, Saffron smashed through the tower’s walls, breaking free.

Together, Milo and Saffron defeated Malachi, revealing the sorcerer’s heart that was filled with envy and hatred. The positive lesson they had learned was that friendship and kindness always (12)______ over jealousy and negativity. (13)______’s magical feathers were now sought by everyone in the kingdom, but he decided to use his powers to bring joy to the lives of others.

From that day forward, Saffron became a symbol of hope and (14)______. He used his magical abilities to heal the sick, bring laughter to the lonely, and grant wishes to those in need. Whenever Saffron flew overhead, people would smile and feel a warm glow inside. His adventures with Milo were (15)______ as (16)______ tales of bravery and friendship, reminding everyone that true magic lies within the power of love and compassion.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is the significance of Saffron’s vibrant orange feathers in the story?
2. How would you feel if you had a magical creature as a friend like Milo did?
3. Do you think envy is a powerful emotion? Why or why not?
4. What do you think the lesson of the story is?
5. How do you think Saffron’s magical feathers brought joy to the lives of others?
6. Do you believe in the power of friendship and kindness? Why or why not?
7. How would you react if you encountered talking animals and tricky riddles on a journey?
8. What do you think the author means by saying “true magic lies within the power of love and compassion”?
9. Have you ever experienced jealousy or negativity? How did you overcome it?
10. Do you think it’s important to use your abilities or talents to help others? Why or why not?
11. How do you think Saffron’s adventures with Milo became legendary tales?
12. Can you think of a time when you witnessed an act of kindness that brought joy to someone’s life?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. magical
2. vibrant
3. captivating
4. soared
5. gracefully
6. admiration
7. enchanting
8. treacherous
9. riddles
10. obstacles
11. infused
12. triumph
13. sought
14. symbol
15. legendary

Meanings:
(A) Actively desired or pursued by many
(B) An emblem or a representative sign of an idea or quality
(C) In a smooth, elegant, and seemingly effortless way
(D) Flew or rose high in the air
(E) Full of energy and life; bright and striking
(F) To win a victory over; to succeed against opposition
(G) Respect and approval for someone or something
(H) Puzzles or problems with a hidden meaning that require ingenuity to solve
(I) Delightfully charming or attractive
(J) Hazardous and dangerous, potentially leading to harm
(K) Possessing or using supernatural powers
(L) Filled or permeated with a certain quality or element
(M) Remarkable enough to be famous; very well known
(N) Difficulties that impede progress or achievement
(O) Attracting and holding the interest or attention of someone
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What color were Saffron’s feathers?
(a) Blue
(b) Green
(c) Orange
(d) Purple

2. How did Saffron help Milo?
(a) By giving him a ride on his back
(b) By teaching him how to fly
(c) By showing him a secret treasure
(d) By picking up his runaway kite

3. Who captured Saffron?
(a) Milo
(b) Malachi
(c) The talking animals
(d) The kingdom’s king

4. What happened when lightning struck the tower?
(a) The tower crumbled to the ground
(b) Milo was struck by lightning
(c) Saffron’s feathers became even more magical
(d) Malachi disappeared into thin air

5. What did Saffron decide to do with his magical powers?
(a) Bring joy to the lives of others
(b) Keep them a secret
(c) Use them for his own benefit
(d) Give them to Malachi

6. What did Saffron become a symbol of?
(a) Hope and happiness
(b) Envy and hatred
(c) Loneliness and sadness
(d) Jealousy and negativity

7. What did Saffron use his magical abilities for?
(a) Causing mischief and chaos
(b) Healing the sick and granting wishes
(c) Stealing from others
(d) Spreading fear and despair

8. What did Saffron’s adventures with Milo remind everyone of?
(a) Greed and selfishness
(b) Laziness and apathy
(c) Deception and betrayal
(d) Bravery and friendship

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Milo embarks on a safe journey to save Saffron from Malachi.
2. Saffron hinders Milo from retrieving his runaway kite.
3. Milo and Saffron defeat Malachi and use their powers to bring joy and happiness to others.
4. Saffron is a regular swan with dull orange feathers.
5. Milo and Saffron become best friends and go on magical adventures together.
6. The evil sorcerer named Malachi captures Saffron and imprisons him in a hidden tower.
7. Saffron’s feathers become drained of magic after being struck by lightning.
8. Saffron’s feathers glow and sparkle in the sunlight.
Go to answers ⇩

📝 Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this story in two sentences. Here are some hints:
Who are the main characters?
What happens in the story?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What made Saffron the most beautiful bird in the kingdom?
Saffron had vibrant orange feathers that glowed in the sunlight, making him the most beautiful bird in the kingdom.

2. How did Saffron help Milo when he noticed him chasing his runaway kite?
Saffron swooped down and picked up the kite with his beak, dropping it right into Milo’s hands.

3. Why did the evil sorcerer, Malachi, capture Saffron?
Malachi captured Saffron because he was consumed by envy of his enchanting feathers.

4. What obstacles did Milo encounter on his journey to save Saffron?
Milo encountered talking animals, tricky riddles, and many obstacles on his journey to save Saffron.

5. How did Saffron’s feathers become even more magical?
A bolt of lightning struck the tower where Saffron was held captive, infusing his feathers with even more magic.

6. How did Milo and Saffron defeat Malachi?
Milo and Saffron defeated Malachi by revealing the sorcerer’s heart filled with envy and hatred.

7. What lesson did Milo and Saffron learn from their adventure?
Milo and Saffron learned that friendship and kindness always triumph over jealousy and negativity.

8. How did Saffron use his magical abilities to bring joy to others?
Saffron used his magical abilities to heal the sick, bring laughter to the lonely, and grant wishes to those in need.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) magical
(2) kingdom
(3) sparkled
(4) captivating
(5) adventures
(6) tower
(7) treacherous
(8) talking
(9) series
(10) captive
(11) infused
(12) triumph
(13) Saffron
(14) happiness
(15) remembered
(16) legendary
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. magical
Answer: (K) Possessing or using supernatural powers

2. vibrant
Answer: (E) Full of energy and life; bright and striking

3. captivating
Answer: (O) Attracting and holding the interest or attention of someone

4. soared
Answer: (D) Flew or rose high in the air

5. gracefully
Answer: (C) In a smooth, elegant, and seemingly effortless way

6. admiration
Answer: (G) Respect and approval for someone or something

7. enchanting
Answer: (I) Delightfully charming or attractive

8. treacherous
Answer: (J) Hazardous and dangerous, potentially leading to harm

9. riddles
Answer: (H) Puzzles or problems with a hidden meaning that require ingenuity to solve

10. obstacles
Answer: (N) Difficulties that impede progress or achievement

11. infused
Answer: (L) Filled or permeated with a certain quality or element

12. triumph
Answer: (F) To win a victory over; to succeed against opposition

13. sought
Answer: (A) Actively desired or pursued by many

14. symbol
Answer: (B) An emblem or a representative sign of an idea or quality

15. legendary
Answer: (M) Remarkable enough to be famous; very well known
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What color were Saffron’s feathers?
Answer: (c) Orange

2. How did Saffron help Milo?
Answer: (d) By picking up his runaway kite

3. Who captured Saffron?
Answer: (b) Malachi

4. What happened when lightning struck the tower?
Answer: (c) Saffron’s feathers became even more magical

5. What did Saffron decide to do with his magical powers?
Answer: (a) Bring joy to the lives of others

6. What did Saffron become a symbol of?
Answer: (a) Hope and happiness

7. What did Saffron use his magical abilities for?
Answer: (b) Healing the sick and granting wishes

8. What did Saffron’s adventures with Milo remind everyone of?
Answer: (d) Bravery and friendship
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Milo embarks on a safe journey to save Saffron from Malachi. (Answer: False)
2. Saffron hinders Milo from retrieving his runaway kite. (Answer: False)
3. Milo and Saffron defeat Malachi and use their powers to bring joy and happiness to others. (Answer: True)
4. Saffron is a regular swan with dull orange feathers. (Answer: False)
5. Milo and Saffron become best friends and go on magical adventures together. (Answer: True)
6. The evil sorcerer named Malachi captures Saffron and imprisons him in a hidden tower. (Answer: True)
7. Saffron’s feathers become drained of magic after being struck by lightning. (Answer: False)
8. Saffron’s feathers glow and sparkle in the sunlight. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧