Red Bird in Snow

Lucas Pulled his, wooden sled up a high, snow-covered hill where his house was. The gray sky filled him with a peace as he crested the hill. He put his sled by the door and entered his home.

Inside, a long hearth burned as his mother and father sat before it.

“Hello, father, hello mother,” Lucas said as he took of his thick wool coat and hung it on a hanger.

“Did you have fun sledding?” asked Lucas’s mother.

“I did. I saw some red Cardinals in the trees. Has priest Hathic caught one yet?”

Lucas’s father stood. “I do not know. I hope he has.” He snapped his finger. “Speaking of which, our offering needs to be given.” The man walked to a cupboard and opened it. “Take this to priest Hathic,” he said as he handed eight gold coins to Lucas.

“I will father.” Lucas put on his coat and walked outside. He strolled along a snow driven stone path with bare, snow-covered trees. Houses like his own lined the trail.

A youth ran up to Lucas with a smile. “Greetings, Lucas!”

“Hello, John.”

“Where are you headed?” asked John.

“To deposit, my family’s offering to priest Hathic.”

“I hear he has not caught the Cardinal for this year’s ceremony,” said John.

“But the ceremony is tomorrow!”

“I know,” said John. “We have never lacked a single bird since it began.”

“God has always ensured what we need for the ceremony. Priest Hathic must beseech God,” said Lucas. “I must deliver my offering. You may come along if you want.”

“The cathedral is only three blocks away.”

The two friends walked side by side. Lucas took in the beautiful snow-topped houses and took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

“I wonder why no bird has been caught yet. Hathic usually has it at least three weeks before the day,” said John.

“It is strange. Perhaps we should do some investigating.”

“Wonderful idea!” said John.

When the two reached the small stone cathedral, Lucas stopped. “Wait here, while I present my offering.”

John nodded. Inside, Priest Hathic sat on one of the benches gripping his head.

“Are you alright priest Hathic?” Lucas said.

“I do not understand it. It has never been this hard. I have laid countless traps and snares with no catches.”

“Keep trying and do not lose heart. God will provide.”

Hathic smiled at Lucas. “Thank you for your words.”

“Here is my family’s offering,” Lucas said as he took out a leather pouch. He turned and walked back outside.

“I was thinking we should take a watch in the forest and see what we find,” said John.

“That is a good idea. Let’s go into the forest and watch over where the snares are.”

The two friends wasted no time and delved into the forest located on the east side of town. They found a net in the snow with an acorn on top.

They hid behind a tree and patiently watched. Their eyes widened as they saw a man in a black cloak stop about fifteen from the snare.

A long silence followed until a red Cardinal flew down and hopped into the net. The trap was activated as the net came up and covered the bird. Lucas and John watched behind the tree.

The cloaked man neared the snared bird and cut it loose.

John came from behind the tree and glared at the man. “That bird is for the ceremony! Why did you do that!”

“You should not be here,” said the cloaked man. He turned and called out. “Jasper, Therin! We have two eavesdroppers.”

Two individuals came to the cloaked man’s side. “We will make sure you never tell what you’ve seen!”

“Run, John!” said Lucas as they both fled.

The three men pursued and, in a few minutes, they overtook John and Lucas. Two of the three men held each teenager.

“Why are you doing this?” asked Lucas.

“We came here a month ago, trying to escape religion. Now I must keep your blasted ceremony from happening. It looks like we will have to put you where none will find you.”

The youths were wrenched by their necks and were dragged away.

“You, there! Why are you mishandling those children!” said a man in a yell, who was about thirty feet away. He was with three others.

“These men are freeing all the Cardinals so there will be no ceremony!” said John.

One of the men who John was addressing got out a crossbow. “Come this way with your hands behind your backs, ruffians!”

The three assailants were led back to the town and after all was explained, they were jailed.”

“How did you find us?” asked Lucas.

“We are hunters. We were following a fox that we lost in a thicket. But we were led right to you.”

“I will not forget this! Thank you!” said Lucas as he ran off to the cathedral with John. They burst inside and ran to priest Hathic. “it’s alright! We know why, you haven’t caught any Cardinals!”

Hathic remained somber. “It does not matter. It is getting dark when the birds are roosting in trees for the night.”

A red fluttering streak zoomed into the cathedral and stopped on a bench.

“A Cardinal!” said Hathic. “It is a miracle.” The priest went to the altar and got a wooden age and took the bird and put it inside.

The two young friends ran home too filled with joy to speak.

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The next day the ceremony commenced as Priest Hathic stood outside the cathedral in front of a crowd of people.

“Just as our savoir Jesus Christ shed his blood so is this symbolized by the red color of the Cardinal.” Hathic took out the red bird and put it in the snow. “The white of the snow represents the purity given to us by His sacrifice.”

Hathic released the bird into the air and the crowd applauded.