Rooster François lived
up there, high up on his bell tower. He had always been there in living memory.

From up there, he could see everything. He'd seen terrible wars, but also great victories with their impressive parades; he'd caught the first kisses of spirited young people at balls, then seen their children running around the church.

But François' favorite part was watching the children play sports in the playground or on the village square. Here, they never quarreled, except for victory! François knew all the rules of every sport.

Even though François was passionate about everything that went on down there, he also felt lonely, and when he looked at the children going to school, he wished he could tell them all about what he'd always seen...

During the last marathon organized by the village, François was so excited that the metal pedestal on which he was standing gave way. François tumbled off the building.

Scared out of his wits and unconscious, he woke up surrounded by pretty faces looking at him with big smiles and eyes sparkling with curiosity. They were the schoolchildren from his village he had so longed to meet!

Today, perched on his new pedestal in the school teacher's office, François sings at the top of his lungs about the history of France. But it's also with his chest bulging with pride that François, with his luxuriant wings spread out, has become the referee of the magnificent sports games played by all the children at school!