The Boy Who Became a Bird
Long ago, a man, his wife, and their young son lived together in a quaint little village. The family seemed normal, just like any other, but there was something extraordinary about the son. The boy held such greatness within him that none could fathom the depths of his true nature and beauty. Even he knew not what he was. Sadly, however, he did not have the best of days. His parents were kind to him at times, but they would also scold him without reason. Likewise, many children in the village made a mockery of him. He seemed to be a normal child just like them, but some peculiar qualities of his urged them to poke fun at his expense. This caused the boy great ridicule and hardship. Though he lived every day feeling out of place and deeply misunderstood, the boy chose to seek joy and spread happiness to all.
Whenever he saw that another was feeling sorrow, he would attempt to cheer them with his bright smile and calming voice. Sometimes, he would even dance. This often brought laughter from the sorrowful, but the laughter was that of mockery. He minded not, however, as he was only happy that his actions had managed to bring up their spirits. After his dance, a few people would notice colorful feathers left behind. They thought them to come from some strange, rare, and beautiful bird. But none ever saw the bird.
In the rainy season, the dour clouds blown in by the wind reminded him of the gloominess that lurked about human souls. And the incessant downpour would remind him of the tears that leaked from many an eye. He felt sad that the sky was crying, so he always sought to cheer it up. He would run outside and dance all alone, with only the eyes of the sky upon him. The sky was his favorite to cheer up. It would never laugh at him, so his dance would continue long into the night, until the rain receded and the sun shone the sky's bright smile. Dancing for the sky, the boy felt free. So free, that he transformed into a bird without noticing. His bright feathers glistened in the rain, and the sun dried them off as he became a boy again. Since he was all alone, he would notice colorful feathers strewn about after dancing, but even he did not know where they came from.
One day, he decided to take one of the feathers into the house and ask his parents about it, but he was only met with shouts of outrage. They told him that the feathers were dirty and may carry a disease. They forbade him from ever bringing them into the house again. As the boy grew older, he began leaving feathers around the house without realizing it. For this, he was scolded by his parents even more. He knew not where the feathers came from, but he tried to make sure to spot any as quickly as he could and get them out of the house before his parents could see them.
One night, he dreamt a glorious dream. In the dream, he danced free before the people and under the sky. There was no ridicule, but applause. All the people adored his dance in this dream. That morning when he awakened, he saw feathers all around himself. He drew back the covers to arise and clear them all away, but at that moment, he realized that he had become a bird. This gave him conflicting thoughts. On the one hand, he surmised that his parents may no longer be angry about the feathers now that they know he was their source. On the other hand, he feared he would be further ridiculed by everyone. He didn't know anyone else who could transform into a bird. This was not at all normal occurrence.
But then, it was too late. His mother and father had heard the commotion of his wings flapping about and arrived at his room to check on him. They were horrified at the sight. He tried to explain that it must be some sort of blessing, but they insisted it was a curse. They told him that they'd noticed feathers around him ever since he was an infant in a bassinet. They feared he had been haunted by evil bird spirits, and these spirits had now overtaken him. Despite his protests, they dragged him on a tedious journey through the forests and up the mountain into the great temple.
At the temple, there was a monk who was renowned throughout the lands. He was said to cure children of their curses. Parents would leave their children with him for months on end. When the children returned home, their curses were said to be gone. The boy did not want to stay with the monk, for he sensed an evil spirit about him. But his mother and father ignored his pleas and started back on their long journey home. Once his parents had left, the monk began to laugh. The boy was right. This monk was a demon in disguise. The boy tried to escape him, but the demon clipped his wings and beat him soundly. He did horrible things and made the boy dance for him all throughout the day. At night, he locked the boy away in an old, rusty cage.
The boy was kept in a room with no windows. He could not see the warm sun or the bright moon or the soft clouds. But he could hear the rain pattering on the roof. As the boy wept, the sky did, too. It rained nearly every day the boy was trapped away. Because the sky could not see the boy's dance, there was no one to cheer it up. Even through his own hardships, the boy longed to bring joy to others. He didn't enjoy dancing for the demon. He didn't feel free. He wanted to escape and dance for the sky again, to lessen its tears, but he couldn't. He wasn't strong enough.
So it happened, the sky cried so much that the floods began to arise. The sky was more than sad, now. It was angry. The sky began throwing a terrible tantrum of thunder and lightning. Its loud booms shook the mountain, and the streaks of light struck the temple. The roof collapsed, and the rusty cage fell. With its lock now broken, the boy was able to free himself from the rusty bars and climb out of the rubble. With his glorious wings, he took flight into the sky that saved him.
The boy decided not to return to his parents or the mean village. Instead, he resided amongst the clouds, flying forever closer to the one who loved him so. Wherever it rained, he danced and swirled to cheer up that part of the sky, leaving an arc of rainbow feathers behind. If you look up after a storm, you may see one to this day.
Whenever he saw that another was feeling sorrow, he would attempt to cheer them with his bright smile and calming voice. Sometimes, he would even dance. This often brought laughter from the sorrowful, but the laughter was that of mockery. He minded not, however, as he was only happy that his actions had managed to bring up their spirits. After his dance, a few people would notice colorful feathers left behind. They thought them to come from some strange, rare, and beautiful bird. But none ever saw the bird.
In the rainy season, the dour clouds blown in by the wind reminded him of the gloominess that lurked about human souls. And the incessant downpour would remind him of the tears that leaked from many an eye. He felt sad that the sky was crying, so he always sought to cheer it up. He would run outside and dance all alone, with only the eyes of the sky upon him. The sky was his favorite to cheer up. It would never laugh at him, so his dance would continue long into the night, until the rain receded and the sun shone the sky's bright smile. Dancing for the sky, the boy felt free. So free, that he transformed into a bird without noticing. His bright feathers glistened in the rain, and the sun dried them off as he became a boy again. Since he was all alone, he would notice colorful feathers strewn about after dancing, but even he did not know where they came from.
One day, he decided to take one of the feathers into the house and ask his parents about it, but he was only met with shouts of outrage. They told him that the feathers were dirty and may carry a disease. They forbade him from ever bringing them into the house again. As the boy grew older, he began leaving feathers around the house without realizing it. For this, he was scolded by his parents even more. He knew not where the feathers came from, but he tried to make sure to spot any as quickly as he could and get them out of the house before his parents could see them.
One night, he dreamt a glorious dream. In the dream, he danced free before the people and under the sky. There was no ridicule, but applause. All the people adored his dance in this dream. That morning when he awakened, he saw feathers all around himself. He drew back the covers to arise and clear them all away, but at that moment, he realized that he had become a bird. This gave him conflicting thoughts. On the one hand, he surmised that his parents may no longer be angry about the feathers now that they know he was their source. On the other hand, he feared he would be further ridiculed by everyone. He didn't know anyone else who could transform into a bird. This was not at all normal occurrence.
But then, it was too late. His mother and father had heard the commotion of his wings flapping about and arrived at his room to check on him. They were horrified at the sight. He tried to explain that it must be some sort of blessing, but they insisted it was a curse. They told him that they'd noticed feathers around him ever since he was an infant in a bassinet. They feared he had been haunted by evil bird spirits, and these spirits had now overtaken him. Despite his protests, they dragged him on a tedious journey through the forests and up the mountain into the great temple.
At the temple, there was a monk who was renowned throughout the lands. He was said to cure children of their curses. Parents would leave their children with him for months on end. When the children returned home, their curses were said to be gone. The boy did not want to stay with the monk, for he sensed an evil spirit about him. But his mother and father ignored his pleas and started back on their long journey home. Once his parents had left, the monk began to laugh. The boy was right. This monk was a demon in disguise. The boy tried to escape him, but the demon clipped his wings and beat him soundly. He did horrible things and made the boy dance for him all throughout the day. At night, he locked the boy away in an old, rusty cage.
The boy was kept in a room with no windows. He could not see the warm sun or the bright moon or the soft clouds. But he could hear the rain pattering on the roof. As the boy wept, the sky did, too. It rained nearly every day the boy was trapped away. Because the sky could not see the boy's dance, there was no one to cheer it up. Even through his own hardships, the boy longed to bring joy to others. He didn't enjoy dancing for the demon. He didn't feel free. He wanted to escape and dance for the sky again, to lessen its tears, but he couldn't. He wasn't strong enough.
So it happened, the sky cried so much that the floods began to arise. The sky was more than sad, now. It was angry. The sky began throwing a terrible tantrum of thunder and lightning. Its loud booms shook the mountain, and the streaks of light struck the temple. The roof collapsed, and the rusty cage fell. With its lock now broken, the boy was able to free himself from the rusty bars and climb out of the rubble. With his glorious wings, he took flight into the sky that saved him.
The boy decided not to return to his parents or the mean village. Instead, he resided amongst the clouds, flying forever closer to the one who loved him so. Wherever it rained, he danced and swirled to cheer up that part of the sky, leaving an arc of rainbow feathers behind. If you look up after a storm, you may see one to this day.
Such a cool tale! I loved your descriptions and the ending really hit me hard. Beautiful! Thank you for entering my challenge <3 Here is your participation badge ^^