Something big was happening in the forest. Hector Hummingbird could feel the buzz. He flitted over to where Oliver was sleeping on a branch.

“Whoo is waking me up?” asked Oliver Owl grumpily.

“Something’s happening. I can feel it!” said Hector.

“Yes, yes, and you need me to tell you what it is!” growled Oliver, his huge eyes wide. He was the wisest owl in the whole forest, and Hector knew that Oliver would know what was happening.

“It’s simple,” yawned Oliver, “The King is coming out into the forest for a picnic. Now buzz off and let me sleep!” He closed his big brown eyes.

The King! Hector had never seen the King!

He spent the rest of the morning sipping nectar from the forest flowers, and then he heard the sound of voices. He fluttered through the trees until he came across the picnic. Wow! There was the King, and the Queen, and even the little Princess!

Hector watched from a tree as the picnic progressed, with footmen serving a huge array of treats and tidbits. Other servants flitted about making sure everything was perfect for the Royal Family. Hector chuckled, as the servants were like hummingbirds, darting here and there and everywhere. Everybody was having a wonderful time, until the Queen looked up into the trees and screamed.

“My baby!” she cried, “My little girl!”

Everybody looked up. While they had been so busy picnicking, the Princess had climbed high up into a big old oak tree, and was now on a branch far above the ground.

“Save my daughter!” commanded the King, but just as his men ran towards the tree, the Princess slipped.

Grabbing the branch with her hands, she dangled helplessly up in the air. She wouldn’t hold on very long, and would surely fall.

Suddenly the crowd gasped. There, way up in the tree was a hummingbird, pulling the Princess by the dress back onto the branch!

Hector pulled and pulled, and his wings hummed and hummed, but the Princess was too heavy. He could feel her slipping as her grip on the branch failed. Then a voice sounded in his ear:

“He whoo is not strong enough must be smart enough!”

Hector glanced around, but couldn’t see Oliver. He did, however, see a strong vine hanging against the tree’s trunk.

As fast as a blink of an eye, Hector grabbed the end of the vine, and as the Princess fell, he flew it around and around the Princess, finally knotting the vine under itself. Only a hummingbird could have flown so fast! Everybody gasped as the Princess plummeted towards the ground, and then she was suddenly pulled up short. The vine held! The Princess dangled safely in the air! Three of the King’s man scrambled up the tree and soon had her safely on the ground again. She was unhurt.

The forest resounded with the cry:

“Hurrah for the hummingbird!”

Hector moved into the castle at the King’s insistence. and the Royal gardeners planted special flower gardens full of his favorite blooms. He was great friends with the Princess, and they often played together in the forest together, although she was forbidden to climb any more trees.

The King gave a huge feast, and all the guests stood and toasted to Hector, who hummed with happiness.

“Henceforth” proclaimed the King “He shall be known throughout the land as: Sir Hector Hummingbird – Hero!”