The Diving Falcon

Polly thought about the peregrine for two days. She wanted to feel the shape of its dive.

Polly tenkte på vandrefalken i to dager. Hun ønsket å kjenne følelsen av stupet dens.

On the third morning, she went to El Capitan. A peregrine was on a high rock. It was eating something.

Den tredje morgenen dro hun til El Capitan. En vandrefalk satt på en høy klippe. Den spiste noe.

She perched on a bush fifty metres away. She waited.

Hun satte seg på en busk femti meter unna. Hun ventet.

The peregrine finished its meal. It looked at her. Then it stepped off the rock.

Vandrefalken gjorde seg ferdig med måltidet. Den så på henne. Så gikk den av klippen.

It did not flap. It folded its wings tight. It dropped fast. It pulled out, turned, and was gone.

Den flakset ikke. Den foldet vingene tett inntil seg. Den stupte raskt. Den trakk seg ut, snudde, og var borte.

A peregrine falcon can dive at 380 kilometres per hour. It is the fastest animal in the world. The bird has a special third eyelid. It also has small cones in its nose to slow the air.

En vandrefalk kan stupe i 380 kilometer i timen. Det er det raskeste dyret i verden. Fuglen har et spesielt tredje øyelokk. Den har også små kjegler i nesen for å bremse luften.

Polly is not made for this dive. But she wanted to try.

Polly er ikke laget for dette stupet. Men hun ville prøve.

She flew to the high rock. She folded her wings. She fell.

Hun fløy til den høye klippen. Hun foldet vingene. Hun falt.

It was not a good dive. She wobbled. The wind caught her wing. She opened her wings and pulled out.

Det var ikke et godt stup. Hun vinglet. Vinden tok tak i vingen hennes. Hun åpnet vingene og trakk seg ut.

She tried again from lower. Then again, lower still. By noon she had tried eight times. Each one was a little better.

Hun prøvde igjen fra lavere. Så igjen, enda lavere. Ved middagstid hadde hun prøvd åtte ganger. Hver gang ble litt bedre.