<BR>Ming-Li&nbsp;looked up and tried to imagine the sky silent, empty of birds.&nbsp;It was a&nbsp;terrible thought.&nbsp;Her country's leader had called sparrows the enemy of the farmers--they were eating too much grain, he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;He&nbsp;announced a great "Sparrow War"&nbsp;to banish them from&nbsp;China, but Ming-Li did not want to chase the birds away. <BR></DIV><DIV>As the people of her village gathered with firecrackers and gongs to&nbsp;scatter the sparrows, Ming-Li held her ears and watched in dismay.&nbsp;The birds&nbsp;were falling&nbsp;from the trees, frightened to death!&nbsp; Ming-Li knew she had to do something--even if she couldn't stop the noise.&nbsp; Quietly,&nbsp;she vowed to save as many sparrows as she could, one by one...<BR><BR>&nbsp;<BR>