The Flight of the Golden Bird Read Online Free PDF Page A

jacket.
    The schoolmaster said, “What is that you’ve got, Hugh, in there?”
    And he said, “Sir, it is a pigeon. I found it on the road, Sir, andI think it is sick and I think, Sir – it is dying. It is very sick.” He took the pigeon out and held it in front of him.
    The schoolmaster looked and he saw that the pigeon really was sick, nearly dead. And just like that – as Hugh held it in his arms – the pigeon dropped its head and died, right in Hugh’s arms.
    A big tear rolled down his cheek and fell right on top of the schoolmaster’s desk. The schoolmaster looked at the tear and he looked at wee Hugh who was nearly crying.
    “I know you have all brought beautiful, shiny things with youse today,” said the schoolmaster to the children. “Some of youse have brought coins, some of you have brought shiny pieces of glass and stone. But – I am going to give little Hugh the angel.”
    The children were all quiet.
    “Because, children,” he said, “Hugh has brought something more clear and more precious than anything to the school today. He has brought a pigeon – but he has also put on my desk the brightest and shiniest thing of all.”
    And the children wondered what it was – because they never saw anything.
    “Children,” he said, “little Hugh has put on my desk
a tear of pity.
And there is nothing as bright, children, as a tear of pity for someone else’s woes – even although it is only a pigeon. I’m going to give little Hugh the angel.”
    And all the children said, “Yes, Sir, give Hugh the angel,” and Hugh was nearly crying, “because we know what you mean.”
    Hugh got the angel for his tear of pity, and that is the end of my story.

The Flight of the Golden Bird
    A long time ago in a faraway country there once lived a merchant. And this merchant was very rich. He had all the riches his heart desired. He had a large mansion house, and on his land he had a small village. To all the people who lived there he gave work, and this merchant loved his people. He was a trader. Twice a year he would travel into the East with a cavalcade of donkeys and camels laden with all the things he wanted to sell. There were silks, there were carpets, herbs and spices and wines. And he would be gone for many weeks into the East trading. But this merchant had something more special than all his wealth. For in a little room in his great mansion-house he had a large golden cage. In this golden cage he kept a little golden bird.
    Now the merchant loved this golden bird like nothing on earth. He loved it more than all his wealth and all his riches. And the reason was this little golden bird could talk to the merchant. You see, every evening after the meal was over he would pull up a little stool before the cage, and he would talk to the golden bird. The golden bird would tell him many wonderful stories, many places it had been before it was captured and put in the cage.
    So one evening the merchant came in again, pulled up his stool before the cage and said, “Well, my little friend, the time has come. Tomorrow I must leave you again, because I must go on another journey.”
    The little bird swinging on the golden perch said, “But, Master, why must you always go off on these journeys? Yousee, I get so lonely when you leave me – all alone with no one to talk to.”
    And the merchant said, “Don’t I leave someone with you to feed and water you while I’m gone, my little friend?”
    “Yes, Master, you do. But it’s not the same. You see, I can’t talk to anyone else. And I miss you so much when you’re gone. Why must you always go on these trips? You don’t need any more wealth; you are wealthy enough.”
    And the merchant said, “You see, my little friend, it is not for me. It is for the children of the village. Would you deny the children their food?”
    “No, Master, of course not.”
    “Well, you see, my little friend, that’s why I must make another journey. Because I take their daddies with me