How Birds and Fairies Came to Be

"How Birds and Fairies Came to Be" by Julia Darrow Cowles is a charming children's book that explores the whimsical origins of birds and fairies through enchanting storytelling. With lyrical prose and vivid illustrations, the narrative invites young readers into a magical realm where nature and fantasy intertwine, offering imaginative explanations for the beauty and wonder found in the avian world and the mystical beings that accompany it. Through themes of creativity and the connections between humans and nature, the book sparks curiosity and inspires a sense of wonder in its audience.

• Children
• Short story

								
ONCE--oh, a very long time ago--there were no birds and no fairies
upon the earth. Now I will tell you a story of their beginning, as the
Indian grandmothers tell it to the Red children.

Ten beautiful sisters lived in the lodge of their father, and no
maidens in all the tribe were so good to look upon as they.

Young warriors came and sought them in marriage, and one by one the
sisters went away to the lodges of their husbands, until only one was
left in the lodge of her father.

This one was Oweenee, the youngest of all, and the most beautiful.
Many warriors had sought her favor, but she was not easily won. Her
sisters mocked her, but she cared not for that. “I shall know when the
right suitor comes,” she said to her own heart, and went about her
duties in her father’s lodge.

One day an old man came to the lodge door and talked with the
youngest sister, and though he seemed old and bent with years, her
heart told her, “He is the one for whom you have waited.” And so, when
he asked her to go to his lodge and be his wife, she consented.

Her sisters mocked her more than before, but they and their husbands
went with Oweenee and the old man along the path.

The married sisters led the way, and the old man, whose name was
Osseo, and the youngest sister, Oweenee, walked behind, and the girl
was kind and thoughtful, and watched the steps of Osseo with care.

But what was her surprise, as they were about to pass a hollow log, to
see him suddenly dart into its open end and almost immediately come
from the farther end--not old and bent, but the youngest, the
strongest, and the most active of all the warriors in the company.
Then he took the hand of the youngest sister, and together they led
the way to his lodge.

The eyes of the youngest sister were bright with happiness, but the
older sisters were dumb with astonishment.

When they entered the lodge of Osseo, they found a feast prepared. The
food was plain, and the dishes were of wood. The lodge, too, seemed
shabby and poor. But while they ate, the lodge began gently to rise
from the ground. Up and up it went, and its shabby sides began to
gleam like silver. The food became the richest and choicest, and the
dishes became like shells of radiant colors.

Up and up the lodge continued to go, until at last it reached the Sky
Land, and stopped before the doorway of the Evening Star.

The Evening Star greeted them and spoke to Osseo. Then the sisters and
their husbands, who had scoffed at Oweenee, knew that the old man whom
she had married was no other than Osseo, the Son of the Evening Star.

And Evening Star said, “You and your beautiful bride are welcome to my
lodge, but these others who have scoffed at her and at you may not
come inside. They may stay at the lodge door.”

Then the lodge of Osseo became a wonderful silver cage, and the
sisters and their husbands were changed into singing birds, with
plumage of brightest colors, blue, and red, and orange, and scarlet.
And they flew about in their silver cage, and sang to Osseo and his
bride.

Now Osseo grew stronger and more manly day by day, and his bride grew
sweeter and lovelier to look upon. After many moons had come and gone
there came to Osseo and his wife a little son. As the boy grew he
seemed brighter than the starlight, and Osseo and Oweenee loved him
dearly; but his grandfather, the Evening Star, loved him best of all.

One day Evening Star said to Osseo, “You must be careful not to let
the light beams from the small Star that dwells near by fall upon the
cage of singing birds, or upon yourself, or your wife, or your son.
The Star is an evil spirit, and the light beams are his enchanted
arrows. They change the form of all those upon whom they fall.”

So Osseo promised to be careful. But after many moons had passed, he
forgot about the light beams of the Star neighbor.

He made a bow and arrows for his little son, who loved to play at
shooting. Then one day the boy said, “I want to shoot some living
thing. How shall I learn to be a hunter if I have no game to shoot?”

“I will open the silver cage,” said Osseo, “and you may shoot at the
flying birds.”

Then the little boy was pleased, and he drew his bow, and Osseo
opened the door of the cage.

Out flew the birds, glad to stretch their wings, and the boy sped his
arrow after them. But swifter than his arrow was the light beam of the
little Star, and it fell upon the birds and the boy.

Immediately they became enchanted. The birds flew swiftly down to
earth and lighted upon an island in the midst of a green sea, and the
little boy, the grandson of Evening Star, floated softly down after
them.

Then Osseo was full of sorrow, and he said to his father, “Oh, father!
let us go also, my wife and I, that we may not be separated from our
son.”

So Evening Star permitted Osseo and Oweenee to enter the silver cage,
and silver wings were given it, and it flew down to the island in the
midst of the green sea.

And then the enchantment of the little Star changed all of them to
Fairies, and joining hands they danced and sang in the starlight,
while the Evening Star looked down upon them from his far-away home in
the sky.
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