Growing

Growing

A mother swan and her cygnet were flying when they were surrounded by clouds. In the mist, the cygnet lost sight of her mother and when she reemerged she looked around. Despite all her calling, crying, and looking, she knew she was lost.

It happened there was a pond below the cygnet that she flew to. She sat in the middle of the pond, thinking of what to do now that she was alone. The cygnet grew and found another swan. One day, a human gained their trust and healed the loneliness of the swans. A few years went when a northerly wing blew an injured half-grown puffin to the pond. It was many a day before the female swan found the wounded puffin.

It also occurred that it was hunting season and a devious hunter was along the shore setting a trap for the swans. When his work was done, he slinked off into the bushes, watching and waiting. Soon enough the male swan fell victim to the hunter’s trap. It happened the human was walking along when he heard the plaintive cries of the swan. With care and kindness, he eased the swan’s tender, beautifully plumed chest out of the vice-like grip of the hunter’s trap.

He also caught and took care of the hunter telling him to let the swans alone or else. He tended to the swan; carefully bandaging his chest and soothing him with kind, tender words of encouragement. The human then carried the male swan to the female swan and said in a kind voice: “He will be alright.” For some reason she seemed to understand. He came by often to change the swan’s bandage and to keep consoling him with gentle words.

The female swan walked along the shore when she spotted the wounded puffin. She took care of and watched over the puffin until she mended. It happened the half-grown puffin was friend to the human since she was a hatchling. She was a bit more experienced in the ways of humans than the swans. However, the puffin and the swans became the best of friends; especially with the female swan.

One day, (as the puffin had been well for some time) the human came by the pond to see the puffin. The puffin, although at first timid, quickly recognized the human and called to him. It was a while before the puffin came back to the swans; and when she did, she had tears in her eyes. She told the swans that the human had made her his close friend. She explained that she understood some of the human language and that she told the human she wanted to be his friend. The swans were happy for the puffin and were looking forward to when they too would be the human’s close friends.

A few days later, the puffin and the swan were flying together when out of nowhere a shower of arrows came at them! The swan was hit by one but the arrows just missed the puffin. They flew to the pond and the swan called out to the human. He heard and was right by her side. The arrow had torn through her wing and was stuck under a layer of feathers. Of course the shower of arrows had come from the hunter who had wanted to kill the graceful swan.

The human broke the arrow in half, eased it gently out of her wing, and discarded it. Although she squawked all the while, the human’s touch was gentle and tender. He bandaged her wing and as he did to the male swan, he carried her to the pond and cared for her wound till it healed. It left a scar but had it not been for the human, it would never have mended.

One day, the puffin and the swan were flying together when the swan broke the silence with her reply to a question the puffin asked. The swan told the puffin she might leave the pond for good. Though they continued on together, they continued on in silence. When back at the pond, the puffin walked along the shore in sad thought.

She thought of how things would be if the swan left. If the swan left, there would be no one to talk to. If the swan left, there would be no one to confide in beside her dear friend the human. If the swan left, she would be brokenhearted. If the swan left, she would lose her best and closest friend. These were too many ifs for the puffin to handle without breaking down. Even though she concentrated on being grateful and enjoying her friend’s company, it was extremely hard not to be thinking about the swan’s departure.

She knew that when it came to that, she would be heartbroken. She was aware that she could call out to her friend whenever and wherever they were. She knew, too, that they would share a mutual friend with the human. He would visit them and the puffin always. With that the puffin tried not to think much on the subject.

“When that day comes,” she thought, “then it will be time for tears. Until it comes, I shall be grateful and cherish the precious time I have with my closest friend.” And she kept her promise. She would love the swan always. The puffin and the swan continued their friendship even when she departed. For in their friendship, they learned, loved, and grew from one another. THE END