A Bird Set Free

I sat stone-faced as the soft, sunlit snow cascaded down from the heavens and blanketed my world in white. I shivered a few feathery flakes floated freely between my patterned feathers. All the creatures of the forest sat below my perch up in the great oak tree that had long ago lost its great green glory.

They cried out fervently, "Rainbow crow! Rainbow crow! Save us from this abominable spirit that haunts us day and night!"

My forest had once been a flourishing paradise to all who made it their home. Now, the creatures, who had so far survived, lived in a frozen wasteland that seemed to grow increasingly colder with each passing day.

"Do not fear," I sang. The animals fell silent at the sound of my melodious sonnet.

"I will ask the great owl for a way to rid our home of this calamitous beast that enslaves it." I turned, spread my multicolored wings and lept into the air. I soared over the treetops keeping my eyes half shut to prevent the malicious snow from blinding me. When I reached the fallen tree that housed the oldest creature in the forest, I descended and landed gracefully on a warped branch.

"Wise Old Owl!" I called out, "show me how to rid the forest of the demon that possesses it!"

The owl did not show herself but I clearly heard her voice echoing from the depths of the tree, "Seek out the great Kijamub Ka'ong," she emboldened me, "He will know how to liberate us from this death that chases us and destroys our home."

"Thank you, Wise Old Owl," I sang. I knew how to find the great and powerful Kijamub Ka'ong. All young creatures were told the story of Kijamub Ka'ong and his magnificent golden palace beyond the sun. I quickly returned to the other creatures, who were waiting patiently, and informed them of my plan to fly past the sun to the great and powerful one. They trembled when they heard his name.

They cried out, "Oh, Rainbow Crow, thank you! Thank you, Rainbow Crow!"

Then, taking a deep breath, I turned my eyes to the heavens. Then, I took to the sky. I reached for the stars and soared over the moon. After three days of relentless flying, I finally passed the sun. My heart raced as the palace of Kijamub Ka'ong came into view. I set my weary feet down on the steps of the golden palace and paused to rest.

A voice startled me, "Are you lost, child?"

I stared up into the face of the great and powerful Kijamub Ka'ong.

"Oh great and powerful one, I have come all the way from the earth on behalf of the creatures of the forest to ask that you kill the spirit that consumes everything,"

He looked at me with mournful eyes, "Oh, child. I cannot kill this spirit for it must live, but I can give you something to comfort you."

I watched in astonishment as he stretched out his staff to the sun and captured a flame. He then bestowed his gift upon my rainbow feathers. The heat was comfortable and pleasant.

"Now hurry child! Return to the earth and share the gift that I have given you," Kijamub Ka'ong commended.

I didn't hesitate. I spread out my wings and flew. I left the palace of Kijamub Ka'ong far behind. As I passed the sun, the heat from the fire on my wings grew. It licked my skin and began to produce a cloud of thick black smoke. I knew that my feathers would never be the same, but I continued on for the sake of the forest creatures, who would die if I failed. Three days of constant pain, due to the flames dragged on for what seemed like forever. My throat was sore from breathing in the fumes and my skin was singed.

By the time I reached the forest again, my voice was reduced to a discordant caw and my vibrant rainbow feathers had turned a dull black. I plummeted down to the earth like a fallen angel and franticly gave the fire to the apprehensive animals who cheered, "The great Rainbow Crow has saved us all! Thank you, Rainbow Crow!"

But as I glanced at my feathers, I crowed in a melancholy tone, "I am no longer the Rainbow Crow. I am just a crow. My song is gone and my feathers are black."

I flew away from the creatures so that they wouldn't see my marred appearance. I soared all the way to the tree of the Wise Old Owl. I perched lightly on the warped branch and lamented, "Wise Old Owl, I have lost my song and my incongruous beauty."

Instead of hearing the voice of the Wise Old Owl, the voice of Kijamub Ka'ong rang in my ears, "The Wise Old Owl is no more. She froze to death on the fifth day of your journey."

I began to weep for the Wise Old Owl, who had once been my friend and companion, but Kijamub Ka'ong spoke to me in a tone of sympathy, "Do not cry, child. The Wise Old Owl has come to live with me in my palace beyond the sun. As for you, I have blessed you with black wings and singed skin. Now no man will want to put you in a cage or eat you. Your song has become a caw so that man will never disturb you. I have promised you freedom for all time. Now child, go and enjoy the fire that I have given you. It will not take away the cold spirit but it will take the edge off of the winter nights.'

And Kijamub Ka'ong's promise has indeed made me a free bird.