3 Trust the Magic

Chapter 3 Trust the Magic As Paulo led the way back into the lush green forest, Max could once again hear the pitter-patter of water

drops and the chirping of birds and insects. Paulo seemed to know exactly where he was going. He pushed past palms and stepped over the tangled roots easily. Sofia and Max followed closely behind. "Is the nest far?" asked Max. "No," Paulo said. He gave them an approving smile. "For tourists, you both speak very good Portuguese." "Huh?" Sofia's jaw dropped open. "Um, thanks," said Max. But as soon as Paulo was out of earshot, Max grabbed Sofia's hand. "I thought Paulo was speaking English!" he whispered. "Me too!" said Sofia. "Turns out we're speaking his language." Max's eyes drifted down to the wooden beads around her neck. "I think I understand," he said. He reached for his own necklace and slipped it off over his head. Then he waited. "Como vai?" Paulo called from the trail ahead.

Como what? Max cocked his head, then put the beaded necklace back on. "What was that, Paulo?" he asked. "I asked how it was going back there," said Paulo —in perfect English. Max grinned. "That's what the necklaces are for!" he whispered to Sofia. "They help us speak Paulo's language!"

"I told you to trust the magic," she whispered back with a smile. "So what do you know about scarlet macaws?" Paulo asked when they caught up to him. "I know they're parrots," said Sofia. "That's right," said Paulo. "Large parrots with red, yellow, and blue feathers. They can live up to forty or fifty years in the wild, at least if their home is protected. They eat fruit, nuts, and seeds. Insects, too, and the nectar of flowers. Oh, and they also eat dirt and clay." "Huh?" asked Max. "That sounds, um.... tasty." He wrinkled his nose. Paulo laughed. "I don't know if it tastes good, but I think the clay gives them minerals they need—that's what Antonio says, anyway. They get it from walls of clay, where the water has eroded the riverbank. We call them clay licks. You should see how many macaws can gather at one clay lick at a time. It's amazing!" "I hope we do," said Sofia, crossing her fingers. Finally, Paulo stopped beside a palm tree. "This is it," he whispered. The tree looked dead, with only a few brown leaves sprouting from the top of its tall,

skinny trunk. "Where's the nest?" asked Sofia, glancing up. Paulo pointed toward a hole in the trunk, high above the ground. "The nest is built in the knothole. C'mon, let's climb this rubber tree for a closer look." Paulo started up a nearby tree that had glossy, oval- shaped leaves. He used the vines that were wrapped around the thick trunk to pull himself up. Sofia scrambled up behind him, eager to see the nest. As Paulo scooted out onto a branch, she followed. "Here," he said, holding out the binoculars. She held them to her eyes. At first, all she could see was the gray trunk of the tree. But as she slid the binoculars downward, the knothole came into view. And just inside? She saw two little chicks, with bald gray heads and tiny beaks.

Sofia gasped. "They hatched! The chicks hatched!" She reached out a hand to steady herself and handed Paulo the binoculars. As Max slid onto the branch beside Sofia, a patch of red caught his eye. A macaw swooped down from the branches above and landed on the edge of the knothole of the palm tree. "Look," he breathed, nudging Sofia.