|
Church bells rang
throughout the ancient city of Bunicella, announcing the annual
celebration of Speckled Egg Day. Every year on this day all the people of
the city got together for a feast, in honor of the speckled eggs of the
buntabi bird. Bunicella was the only place in the world where the bird
could be found. It laid white eggs with blue, green and purple speckles on
it. The residents went into the wood around the city and gathered as many
eggs as they could. They boiled them and feasted on them, along with
roasted meats, baked breads and sweet pastries.
On this particular
Speckled Egg Day a strange bird flew into the city. It perched high on the
steepled buildings, looking down on the festivities below. With keen eye,
the bird watched them gather the eggs and wondered what sort of curious
bird laid eggs of this variety. He flew into the woods and landed near one
of the nests. Six speckled eggs lay nestled in the feather-lined twigs.
With nothing better to do, the bird climbed into the nest and sat on the
eggs.
Every year on
Speckled Egg Day the buntabi birds flew away, leaving their nests
unattended for several hours, so they could stretch their wings and bathe.
It was during these hours that the city folk came to the woods and took
the eggs.
The strange bird
sat, warming the eggs. When he heard people approach, the bird stayed
where he was. A few people gathered around the bottom of the tree, talking
of the bird that stayed behind. Nobody bothered him. They smiled and went
to the next tree.
The eggs beneath
him shook and the bird moved to the side. Cracks appeared in the shells
and tiny purple beaks poked out. They chipped away at the shell until
there was enough room for them to climb through. Soon six tiny white birds
with blue, green and purple speckles on them sat in the nest, chirping and
tweeting. They thought the strange bird was their mama.
The
big black bird heard chattering in the distance and looked up. A flock of
buntabi birds were headed back to their nests. With no delay he flew away,
leaving the chicks behind. He perched on the highest steeple and watched
as the mama bird came back to the nest and found her six babies. Once he
knew they were safe, he flew down into the streets, hoping to nibble on
some bits and pieces of sweet pastries. After he’d had his fill, he flew
across the land, knowing that next year on Speckled Egg Day, he’d be back. |
