The Little Eagle and the Chickens Retold by Sue Lester (c) 2009
Do you know the story of the little eagle who was brought up by chickens? No? Well, I’m not quite sure how the egg came to be in the chicken coop, but perhaps it was washed down in a storm, or a greedy crow had stolen then dropped it, but that doesn’t really matter, does it?
The little eagle, though of course she didn’t know she was an eagle then, she just thought she was a funny shaped chicken, was well looked after by the chickens. They taught her how to scratch in the dirt for insects, where to find the juiciest worms, when the grasses were seeding, and what time to go back into the safety of the coop. They also taught her to run for cover if she saw a shadow move across the ground, because that meant danger from above, and most importantly, they taught her to never, never go near the edge of the cliff, because chickens who went there never came back.
The little eagle had chicken friends, and she was loved, but as she grew up she felt she didn’t quite fit in with all of the other chickens, and not just because of her size! She was strangely drawn to the cliff edge, and started sneaking away so she could sit there, looking out over the valley, and feeling both restless yet at peace, as if she was meant to be there.
One day as she sat staring out over the valley, she noticed a speck in the horizon. As she watched it grew larger and larger. Part of her wanted to scurry to safety but more of her felt a ferocious curiosity. The most magnificent creature alighted beside her, and tilted its head in a friendly way.
“Wwwhattt are you?” wavered the little eagle.
“I’m an eagle, just like you,” responded the magnificent creature.
“Like me?!”
The magnificent creature stretched out its wing so the little eagle could see that it was the same as her wing, and that their strong feet with talons were the same. The little eagle was so overwhelmed with excitement she scurried back to the coop. She blurted out what she had seen and learnt to all the other chickens. Some were upset ,“You shouldn’t be talking to strangers!”. Some were angry, “You were told never to go to the cliff edge – what if you’d fallen over the edge?!” Her best little chicken friend looked at her and said, “So, aren’t we good enough for you anymore?” and turned her back. It was a very confused little eagle who went to bed that night.
As the pinkish glow of dawn changed into the golden light of day, the little eagle scurried back to the cliff edge, hoping the large eagle would be there, and she was. She spoke of the power of the wind, and the fertile lands that lay beyond the valley and the magic of soaring in the sky. She invited the little eagle to fly with her, and the little eagle had to confess she simply didn’t know how. So, each day the big eagle taught the little eagle how to strengthen her wings, and all of the things the little eagle would have learnt already if she’d had an eagle mother.
The chickens noticed the little eagle was disappearing every day, but didn’t comment. Some because they didn’t approve, and some because they had noticed how much happier she was. As long as she was safely back in the coop well before dark they were satisfied.
Then came the day when the little eagle rushed to the cliff edge, and her mentor wasn’t there. Disappointed and a little worried, she waited, and waited. Late in the morning the big eagle appeared and explained it was time to leave, to fly off to more distant lands. The little eagle was crushed until the big eagle said, “Come with me. I know you’ve learnt your lessons well. You can fly with me.”
With that she launched off the cliff and hovered, allowing the thermal air to support her as she waited for the little eagle. “Come on, I know you can do it!”
The little eagle moved to the edge, and took a deep breath and leapt off. She wildly flapped her wings and went up then down and panicked so she hurled herself back onto firm ground. Panting heavily, heart thumping, she stared at the ground until she heard the big eagle call, “I know you can fly, try again.” She raised her head and looked out to where her magnificent friend was floating so easily in the sky, and slowly approached the edge again. She calmed her breath, pictured herself soaring in the sky, and prepared herself to try again. This time she kept her eyes firmly on her friend as she courageously launched herself out and felt the wind under her wings as pure joy flooded her body. She flew, because…that’s…what…eagles…do.
Of course she returned occasionally to the coop to visit her chicken family, because she loved them as they loved her, but the rest of her days were spent living the life of an eagle, following her bliss, as she was born to do.
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