Clockwork Chickadee by Mary Robinette Kowal »

In a room full of clockwork animals, the clockwork chickadee bears a deep hatred for its arrogant sparrow counterpart. Alone amongst the animals, the sparrow can fly from a wind-up engine in the chandelier. But Chickadee is determined to bring him down to earth.

This is a fun little steampunk parable whose apparent moral lesson (pride comes before the fall) is somewhat subverted by the cold, calculated nature of Chickadee’s schemes.

(Clarkesworld Magazine)