Stacy--Part Forty-Six

Splog # 172

Forty-Six

 "So they all headed down into the valley. The descent was steep and the old man let the mule go first. He figured it was probably more sure-footed than the child or himself and would make a better leader than follower. Also, the cut they traveled was fairly narrow, and if the mule should lose its footing, he figured they'd be better off behind it than in front of it. So they picked their way to the floor of the valley. It didn't take all that long and once they were in the valley the old man decided they'd travel a ways before stopping to rest and eat. So they headed out. They found the valley to be completely barren. There was nothing in sight anywhere they looked. Just the ground and the steep walls to either side. There wasn't a blade of grass or an insect or a drop of water in sight. The old man was thankful they'd brought food and drink...and everything else," he added, with a glance at Lane.

 "Listen to this," Lane whispered to Stacy.

 "So, they're walking through this wasteland, everything completely silent, except for their footsteps and the noise of their clothes rustling and maybe some small sounds from the things packed on the mule, when they hear this high-pitched sound. Ti-ti. Ti-ti. Ti-ti-ti. They look around to see where it's coming from. The old man points over to the east and, at the same time, the little girl points to the west. They each move to opposite sides of the valley and start examining the steep walls with their eyes. And all the time the sound is repeating. Ti-ti. Ti-ti. Ti-ti-ti. Then the girl thinks she can see movement a little bit higher up than she can reach so she calls her grandfather but he's still sure the sound is coming from the side he's searching. But when she calls a second time he rushes over and he finds a small bird sitting on a shallow ledge and crying, "Ti-ti. Ti-ti." He gently picks it up and brings it down to where the girl can see it. They examine it carefully but nothing seems to be wrong with it. It seems to be a healthy bird, but it doesn't fly away. The old man gives the bird into the girl's care and they approach the mule, ready to resume their journey. The bird continues to chirp its little ti-ti but as soon as they're back in the center of the valley, they realize they were both right because they can still hear ti-ti ti-ti coming from where the grandfather had been searching. So they cross to the eastern wall and they try to find where the sound is coming from. Again, the girl is the one who finds the source, but this time it's a hole from which the sound is emerging. They take turns peeking in but can't see anything. The grandfather tries to put his hand in but can only fit about three fingers. So the girl gives him the bird she's holding and puts her hand into the hole. She's afraid she'll hurt the tiny creature if she just grabs for it, so she lays her hand flat on the bottom of the opening, palm up, and slowly moves it inward until she feels her fingers touch something soft and feathery. While she's trying to figure out how to take hold of it without hurting it, she feels it move onto her hand of its own volition. She brings her hand out and there discovers the twin of the first bird. So, with a constant sound of ti-ti ti-ti ti-ti-ti serenading them, they head back to the mule and the old man puts a couple of socks in a small pot and then deposits the birds in their new nest."