Mr. Swain's class is excited about their play. Everyone, that is, but Andrew. Andrew is always silent these days 'since the day he had stopped being happy'. Mr. Swain, a sensitive teacher, offers Andrew the part of the Golden Bird, and after watching birds in the playground, he accepts. Much of the story is about the day to day rehearsals and relationships between the children, but at the performance, Andrew becomes the Golden Bird so completely that he is the star of the show. His unhappiness has been due to his dad's death, and when he succeeds as the Golden Bird, he can at last put sadness behind him. Very short but very moving.