The Sparrow's Friend

"Come, Gather around all my friends." Called out the little brown and gray bird. "Listen to my tale of woe in honor of my lost friend."

All sorts of birds flocked to where the sparrow sat on the bird bath. Robins with their bright red breasts stopped pulling up worms from the ground. Blue and gray jays perched on the high wires above the bird bath. Brown and red cardinals strolled through the crowd of birds pecking at the grass. A noisy woodpecker paused its grub-hunting tapping. Chickadees behind their masks joined with all the other flocks. Even a curious mockingbird landed nearby to listen to the tale.

As the flocks quieted down, the little bird began her dialogue. "The other day, I met a truly friendless and gaunt dog. His brindled fur coat draped over its visible bones. I counted all the ribs, even all the bumps of the spine." All the birds were appalled by the idea of such a sight. As one the flock of birds huffed their feathers with disgust.

The little sparrow continued, "I asked if the dog needed help."

"I am so very hungry and tired." Replied the dog

"Why so sad?" I asked.

"My master did not feed me and when I took a bite of his food my master would yell and hit me. When my master walked if I happened to be in his way, he would kick me. I never knew why, so I ran away."

"Well, we will get you some food and rest." The sparrow declared.

"My name is Sally. What is yours?"

"My mother called me Lionel, but my master just called me No-Good Dog."

"Follow me to the town." The sparrow flew towards the buildings in the distance.

On the edge of town, there was a butcher's shop. The door to the shop was standing wide open to let in fresh air.

"Wait here," Sally said to Lionel.

"Then I flew into the shop. I looked around and saw no one about the shop. There was a red piece of meat lying on the counter near the door. I landed on the counter and began to peck at the steak. It moved a little, so I walked around and tugged at it. I drew the meat closer to the edge. Finally, the steak fell to the floor where Lionel grabbed it up and settled in a corner to eat the juicy steak." All the birds released a whistle of congratulations.

Sally continued with her tale. "When the steak was all gone, Lionel and I went to the next shop along the road with an open door. Once again, I told Lionel to wait by the door as I entered the shop. This shop had a nice filet laying on the counter, I moved the meat to the edge so it could drop down to Lionel. He snapped it up and found a place to scarf down the meat. When he was done, we returned to the road."

"'Well friend, have you had enough to eat now?' I asked."

The little brown bird paused from spinning his woeful tale to take a drink from the bath.

"The meat was very juicy and quite delicious. However now I would like some bread to fill the rest of me."

"'Let us go find the baker. I am sure we can find you some rolls.' I flew across the road where the scent of yeast and flour poured from the open doorway. Sure enough, there were all kinds of breads, and rolls lining the shelves and counter. I chose two of the rolls and dropped them down to Lionel. And feeling stronger, Lionel wolfed the rolls down before they touched the floor." Bird wings fluttering could be heard throughout the flock with this inspirational act of friendship.

The sparrow continued, "We went to the next bakery along the road so Lionel could eat some more rolls."

"I am feeling strong enough to travel along the road with you now."

"'Let us head out of town and see where the road takes us.' I led the way out of town. But the day was warming up and soon poor Lionel was tired from the long walk."

"Please wait Sally. I need to take a nap."

"Alright, you lie down, and I will perch in this bush until you wake."

The little bird drew itself up and fluffed out her feathers for the next part of the story.

"Lionel stretched himself out across the road to lazily slumber in the sunlight. Soon a wagon loaded with casks of wine came rumbling down the road. When I saw that the wagon was headed straight toward the sleeping dog I yelled out 'Stop! Stop! Kind wagon master. Stop in the name of the goddess or it shall be the worst for you." Sally knew that the goddess Aphrodite found sparrows to be most beloved.

"Grumbling, the wagon master said, 'Slowing my wagon is the worst for me!' Sally paused before continuing, 'Yee!' called the wagon master to his three horses. And the horses' hooves beat the dog into the road and wheels crushed Lionel's body." A shudder at the memory shook the little bird's body.

"Oh, cruel human, it shall be the worst for you. You are truly a treacherous villain. You have killed my friend. Now mind what I say to you. By the goddess this deed shall cost you all that you are worth."

"'You are welcome to do your worst, see if I care. What harm can a small bird such as yourself do to me' shouted the wagon master before fleeing the scene."

"I was not ruffled. I flew to the back of the wagon and pecked at one of the wine cask's stopper. When it gave way all the wine poured out along the road. After a bit the wagon master looked around and saw the wine dripping from the empty cask. 'What an unlucky scoundrel, I am' he grumbled."

"'Not scoundrel enough yet! I called out.

Then I perched on the head of one of the horses. I began to peck at the ears and mane of the horse until I reared up and kicked to throw me off. The wagon master saw this and he drew out a hatchet. He threw the hatchet at me, but I dodged the weapon and flew off. The hatchet struck the horse so hard that the horse dropped dead where it stood. Seeing this the wagon master declared 'what an unlucky wretch, I am.' Then the wagon master uncoupled the dead horse before continuing with the remaining two horses."

"'Not wretch enough for your wicked deed.' I called out and then flew to the rear of the wagon. I pecked the stopper out of the next cask in the stack. Wine flowed out, running down the first empty cask before making its way to the road. When the wagon master saw what I had done, he called out 'what a miserable rascal I am'"

"'Not rascal enough for your appalling deed' then I perched on the second horse's head. I pecked at tit's neck and ears forcing it to rear up and kick. Once again, the wagon master flung his hatchet at me striking the horse dead as I flew away. Seeing this the wagon master declared 'what an unlucky wretch, I am.' Then the wagon master uncoupled the dead horse before continuing down the road."

"'Not wretch enough for your cruelty!' I called out. Circling back to the wagon, I found the last cask of wine. I pecked at the stopper until it fell out, releasing all the purple liquid from inside. The liquid turned the dusty road into a muddy path. Upon seeing this, the wagon master seethed with anger. Then I flew to the head of the last horse and pecked at its ears and mane. Now then, the wagon master was seeing red. He didn't care what he was about, and without thinking, he threw his hatchet once more at me, striking the horse dead. 'Ugh, what a miserable scoundrel I am,' the wagon master claimed when he had seen what he had done."

The sparrow paused to take another drink and gather herself up. There were tweets from the flocks waiting for the rest of the story.

"'Not scoundrel enough for now I will plague your home and punish you where you live' I called down as I flew off to the wagon master's house."

"The wagon master was forced to walk the remaining distance to his home. He was filled with rage and frustration as he plodded along. When he entered his log house, he called out to his wife, 'Misfortune has fallen upon me, woman. My wine has all spilt, my horses are all dead, I had to leave the wagon in the middle of the road.'"

"'Oh my, dear husband. A vengeful bird has entered our home bringing with her all the birds of the world. They are eating all our corn.' Declared the wagon master's wife.

Upon hearing this the wagon master dashed up the stairs to the loft. Reaching the top, the wagon master spied thousands of birds on the floor and I was sitting in the middle confidently pecking at the corn."

"'Unlucky wretch, I am,' the wagon master dropped his shoulders upon seeing that the corn was all gone.

"'Not wretch enough yet for your cruelties. Your cruelness shall cost you your life.' I called as I flew away."

"The wagon master huffed out his burly chest and went down the stairs to the kitchen. He drew up a chair next to the fire and angrily sulked about his day. He still was not sorry for what he had done, he blamed this little brown and gray bird for it all."

"I flew to the kitchen's window ledge where I lit. Then I called out 'A life for a life! Wagon master, your cruelty shall cost your life.' The wagon master flew into such a rage that he jumped up and flung his small axe at me. The glass shattered as the small axe hit the window. I jumped through the open window and landed on a seat where I called out 'A life for a life! Your cruelty shall cost your life'"

"In a blind rage, the wagon master struck out at me but missed and broke the seat into two. I flitted from furnishing to furnishing throughout the house. The wagon master and his wife were so furious that they ended up breaking everything in the house. Furniture, benches, tables, glasses, dishes, and finally the walls all lay in a pile at the wagon master's feet."

"Then they finally caught me." All the birds perked up hearing this, wondering how the sparrow got away.

"'Should I kill her right away' the wife asked the wagon master."

"'No, a quick death would be too good for her. We would be letting her off too easily,' the wagon master said as he scanned the remains of his home. 'Dear wife, we will eat her.'

Reacting as one, all the birds gasped in shock.

"The wife's hold lessened on me, and I was able to flutter some. I craned my neck and called out 'your cruelty will be the death of you.' The wagon master had had enough, he handed his wife the hatchet as he did so he took me from his wife's hands." 

"'Now, good woman, strike at this vile bird while I hold her in my hands.' The wagon master told his wife."

"But when the woman swung the hatchet, her aim was off, and she missed. She ended up striking the wagon master in his head, killing him immediately. As he dropped to the floor I was released and flew back to my nest. And that is how I come before all of you in honor of Lionel."