The Roof of the World

In the morning Polly climbed to the very top of the forest, into the canopy. On the ground the rainforest is dark and still. But up here it was all sun and movement. Leaves shone and flowers hung in the open air. Fruit grew within easy reach. Polly's blue-teal wings flashed in the warm light. Now she understood why so many animals never leave this top floor.

Most rainforest animals live in the canopy, in a green city above the ground. Monkeys ran along the branches like roads. Sloths hung quietly and ate leaves very slowly. Birds of every color flew from tree to tree. Almost none of them ever touch the forest floor.

It was the loudest, brightest place Polly had ever seen. Parrots and toucans called from the high branches. Their feathers were red and gold and blue. Polly flew in among them. Here her own bright colors were nothing special. Being green and red and blue was just normal.

Sometimes one giant tree rose far above the rest, alone over the canopy. Polly flew to the top of one and rested. From there the forest spread out in every direction, soft and endless. She could see rain falling far away, a grey curtain over the green.