This work is the only Slovenian text in the corpus. Ferdo is a giant bird who lives peaceably with the villagers. He is hard at work assisting in the construction of new buildings, but when he goes to the well to take a drink of water, he drinks the entire water supply for the town. He flees the town after angering the villagers, but the matter is resolved once it starts to rain and the well is refilled. This eccentric tale represents several important touchstones for discussion in a class of 8-11 year olds: these include the role of industry, water supply (sustainable development), and alterity. The emotions conveyed by Ferdo’s banishment from the village have clarity and complexity on the page. For this reason, the text is also a good way to tease out the role of emotion and belonging in questions of active participation in contemporary culture.
