This is a work of fiction.

Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

JUST A BLACKBIRD – The Story About Growing Up / Maria Milojković

JEDAN OBIČAN KOS – Priča o odrastanju / Maria Milojković
ЈЕДАН ОБИЧАН КОС – Прича о одрастању / Мариа Милојковић

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This book or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in any retrieval system,
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ISBN 978-86-901144-0-5
Copyright © 2019 Maria Milojković
 Maria Milojković Maria Milojković

Just a blackbird Jedan običan kos

- The story about growing up - - Priča o odrastanju -

Illustrations by Jana Farkaš Ilustrovala Jana Farkaš

For my daughter and son Za moju ćerku i sina
When my 3-year-old daughter fell in love, I remembered the dreams my Kada se moja trogodišnja ćerka zaljubila, prisetila sam se snova koje je
generation had while growing up and disillusions that nobody had told us moja generacija imala dok je odrastala i razočaranja o kojima nam niko
about... And this book came to life. nije bio pričao... I nastala je ova knjiga.
 Just a blackbird Jedan običan kos i
The story about growing up Priča o odrastanju
Farm life Život na farmi

1 1

Thunder rolled in the distance. The April sky was white with clouds. The Grmljavina se prolamala u daljini. Aprilsko nebo bilo je belo od oblaka.
kitchen door creaked open. The farmer came in, carrying a brown chick Kuhinjska vrata su se uz škripu otvorila. Seljak je ušao noseći braon ptića
with speckled breasts. pegavih grudi.
“I’ve found a little blackbird down the road. There were no parents around. „Našao sam malog kosa dole niz put. Nije bilo roditelja u blizini. Možda
Maybe a car hit them, or a fox ate them... I just couldn’t leave her alone in ih je udario auto ili ih je pojela lisica… Јednostavno nisam mogao da je
the rain.“ ostavim samu na kiši.”
“What do we do?” asked the wife, looking at the wet creature with a large „Šta da radimo?“, upitala je žena gledajući mokro stvorenje sa velikim
yellow beak. žutim kljunom.
“Let’s put her in the hen house, maybe the chickens will accept her.” „Hajde da je stavimo u kokošinjac, možda će je kokoške prihvatiti.“
“What if she starts eating our berries?“ „Šta ako počne da jede naše bobice?“
“Don’t worry, dear. She could catch worms and caterpillars.“ „Ne brini, draga. Mogla bi da hvata crve i gusenice.“
“Let’s give her a name then.” „Hajde onda da joj damo ime.“
“How about Blackbird? It’s not like we have another one,” smiled the „Šta kažeš na Kosa? Nije da imamo još jednog kosa“, nasmešio se seljak.
farmer. Stavio je pticu u crvenu vunenu čarapu i odneo je u kokošinjac.
He put the bird in a red woolen sock and took it to the roost. I tako je Kosa dobila ime. Ali nije dobila i dom.
And so Blackbird got her name. But she did not get a home.
 2 2

She didn’t feel like she got it. Nije osećala da ga je dobila.
The hen accepted her. During feeding, she would call her: Kokoška ju je prihvatila. Za vreme hranjenja bi je pozivala:
“Cluck, cluck, come to eat.” „Kokoda, kokoda, dođi da jedeš.“
Blackbird followed her around. But Kosa ju je pratila. Ali ona nije jela
she did not eat maize or bread, only kukuruz niti hleb, samo crve brašnare.
mealworms. Being hungry, she would Bejući gladna, napuštala je jato tražeći
leave the flock looking for more još crva.
worms.
„Ne jedeš našu hranu“, paperjasto pile
“You aren’t eating our food,” a fluffy ju je optužilo. „Jedeš sama.“
chick accused her. ”You are eating
alone.”
“And you are always alone,” the other „I uvek si sama“, napalo ju je drugo.
attacked. “Why aren’t you more like „Zašto nisi više kao mi? Misliš da si
us? You think you are special?” posebna?“
Before sleep, Blackbird would crawl Pre spavanja Kosa bi se uvukla pod
underneath the red sock. crvenu čarapu.
They didn’t like any of it. Ništa od toga im se nije sviđalo.
“Mwahaha,” they would cackle as „Buahaha“, kokodakali su od smeha
she passed. They would push her dok je ona prolazila. Gurali bi je za
around during feed. They could not vreme hranjenja. Nisu mogli da je
understand her, so they hated her. razumeju, pa su je mrzeli.
But Blackbird had nowhere else to go. Ali Kosa nije imala gde da ode.
“It is dangerous outside the farm. There is no shelter, no one to give you „Van imanja je opasno. Nema zaklona, niko da ti dâ hranu. Lisica ili divlja
food. A fox or a wild boar could eat you! You could end up on the road svinja bi mogli da te pojedu! Možeš da završiš na putu, mrtav“, govorile su
dead,” the farm animals were saying. životinje sa imanja.
Blackbird was afraid to go, so she stayed. Kosa se bojala da ode, pa je ostala.
Why did I leave the nest? I would be with my family now… If only I had Zašto sam napustila gnezdo? Sad bih bila sa svojom porodicom... Kad bih
someone who would understand me, she pondered. samo imala nekog ko bi me razumeo, razmišljala je.
She would tuck herself into her red sock. Ušuškala bi se u svoju crvenu čarapu.
You are so warm and comforting, she thought. Tako si topla i umiruješ, mislila je.
The sock’s gentle touch would lull her to the land of magic. She would Nežan dodir čarape bi je uspavao i odveo u zemlju magije. Sanjala bi da
dream she hopped with unicorns on a sunny meadow. Was she ever to find skakuće sa jednorozima po sunčanoj livadi. Da li će ikada pronaći pravi
a real home? dom?
3 3
Spring days were passing, and Blackbird was becoming restless. Prolećni dani su prolazili, a Kosa je bila sve nespokojnija.
The chickens would mock her: Pilići su joj se rugali:
”You’re not one of us. We are yellow, your legs and feathers are too brown. „Nisi jedna od nas. Mi smo žuti, tvoje noge i perje su previše braon.
You look like an oversized sparrow, hahaha! You’re just a blackbird.” Izgledaš kao preveliki vrabac, hahaha! Ti si jedan običan kos.“
The ducklings would also laugh at her large beak and thin legs. Pačići bi se takođe smejali njenom velikom kljunu i tankim nogama.
If only I had a smaller beak, she yearned, If I had fleece, or produced milk Kad bih barem imala manji kljun, čeznula je. Kad bih imala runo ili
or eggs… I am neither useful nor pretty! davala mleko ili jaja... Nisam ni korisna ni lepa.
Blackbird craved to be like everyone else. But there was no one like her on Kosa je žudela da bude kao svi ostali. Ali na imanju nije bilo nikog nalik
the farm. njoj.
4 4
Spring turned to summer. Blackbird was no longer a chick. Young animals Proleće se pretvorilo u leto. Kosa više nije bila ptić. Mlade životinje su
were pairing up, and she was without a partner. nalazile para, a ona nije imala nikog.
If only I had a pair… Someone tall like the horse to protect me, or with Kad bih barem imala svog para... Nekog visokog kao konj da me štiti, ili sa
eyes like the cow… Then our babies would be strong and beautiful. I would očima kao krava... Onda bi naše bebe bile jake i lepe. Bila bih tako srećna!
be so happy!
Still, her only match was the red sock. Every night it took her to the valley Ipak, njen jedini par bila je crvena čarapa. Svake noći ju je vodila u dolinu
of dreams where she ate fruit with her unicorn friends. snova gde je jela voće sa svojim drugarima jednorozima.

5 5

Time went by. Still, Blackbird could not make friends with the poultry. Vreme je prolazilo. Ipak, Kosa nije mogla da se sprijatelji sa živinom.
Maybe I don’t need a friend. I have shelter, and there is no fox. I have my Možda mi ne treba drug. Imam zaklon i nema lisice. Imam svoju čarapu.
sock. The farm is a fine place to stay on, she comforted herself. Imanje je dobro mesto da se na njemu ostane, tešila se.
What does Blackbird’s singing mean? Šta znači Kosino pevanje?
• When you make something on your own (like art), it helps you make the • Kada sami nešto kreirate (poput umetničkog dela), to vam pomaže da
most of yourself. od sebe dobijete najviše.
• Some people try to help others, some focus on improving their own • Neki ljudi pokušavaju da pomažu drugima, neki se usredsrede na to da
qualities. poboljšaju sopstvene kvalitete.

What is the scary forest really like? Kakva je zaista strašna šuma?
• Very often things are not as they seem, especially things that make you • Veoma često stvari nisu onakve kao što izgledaju, naročito stvari koje
scared. vas plaše.

How do flying and singing change Blackbird? Kako letenje i pevanje menjaju Kosu?
• Sport makes you overcome your barriers. It also helps you accept your • Sport vam pomaže da prevazićete sopstvene prepreke. On vam takođe
limits. pomaže da prihvatite svoje granice.
• Creativity and art can help us relax. This can be especially useful when • Kreativnost i umetnost nam pomažu da se opustimo. Ovo može naročito
times are hard. da bude korisno kada su vremena teška.

Does Blackbird know what awaits her in the grove when she is leaving the farm? Da li Kosa zna šta je čeka u šumarku kada odlazi sa farme?
• Life is unpredictable - you don’t know what is going to happen. • Život je nepredvidiv – ne znate šta će da se dogodi.
• You should not be afraid of the unknown - life is often hard, but it can • Ne treba da se bojite nepoznatog – život je često težak, ali takođe zna i
also be rewarding. da nagradi.
Compare the Blackbird from the beginning and the one from the end of the Uporedite Kosu sa početka sa onom sa kraja knjige.
book.
• Veliki izazov može da bude šansa da postanete hrabriji, nezavisniji i
• A great challenge can be a chance to become braver, more independent, zadovoljniji.
and more satisfied.
• Veoma često problemi u životu nas nauče više nego trenuci sreće.
• Very often, problems in life teach us more than moments of
happiness.

Maria Milojković
“Blackbird craved to be like everyone else. But there was no one like her
on the farm.”
One rainy morning a farmer brought a young wild bird to a farm. Unable
to fit in, she felt very lonely. And then one day…
In simple words, through a compelling story, the author talks about
the challenges of growing up: the self-image, negative emotions,
disappointment, and the search for meaning. The book depicts the usual
stages of one’s personal development and self-actualization. Both children
and adults will love it.
Maria Milojković, MA, is a Serbian translator
and content writer from Belgrade, Serbia.
She has worked in finance, foreign trade,
education, and marketing.
Raising her kids, Maria wanted to pass on to
them important life lessons her generation
struggled with. So, she wrote this children’s
book for adults.
Maria writes about parenting and shares her
knowledge of online writing on her website
https://mariamilojkovic.com/.
ISBN number: 978-86-901144-0-5
Maria Milojković
“Kosa je žudela da bude kao svi ostali. Ali na imanju nije bilo nikog nalik
njoj.”
Jednog kišnog jutra seljak je doneo mladu divlju pticu na farmu. Pošto nije
mogla da se uklopi, osećala se veoma usamljeno. A onda jednoga dana…
Jednostavnim rečima, kroz zanimljivu priču, autorka govori o
izazovima odrastanja: slici o sebi, negativnim emocijama, razočaranju
i potrazi za značenjem. Knjiga opisuje uobičajene faze ličnog razvoja i
samoaktualizacije pojedinca. Voleće je i deca i odrasli.
Maria Milojković (master engleske
književnosti) je prevodilac za engleski i pisac
internet sadržaja, iz Beograda. Radila je u
finansijama, spoljnoj trgovini, obrazovanju i
marketingu.
Podižući svoju decu, Maria je želela da im
prenese važne životne lekcije sa kojima se
borila njena generacija. Tako je i napisala ovu
dečiju knjigu za odrasle.
Maria piše o roditeljstvu i deli svoje znanje o
pisanju na internetu na svom sajtu
https://mariamilojkovic.com/.