25.7.2007
A Tiny Redwing. - Jonas Helgi Eyjolfsson
Author:
Jonas Helgi Eyjolfsson
Translator:
Olafur Thor Eiriksson
A Tiny Redwing.
It was a habit of mine and actually mine and my ex-wife´s, to take on miscellanous jobs in our summer vacations. We were offered the chance to rent and run a restaurant and a gas station by Isafjordur. The place is called Djupmannabud (deepmens'-store), a restaurant with seats for about 60 people and a service station. We did this three summers in a row, 1981, 1982 and 1983.
http://www.netsaga.is/media/files/Handan_vid_Hafid.mp3
A lot of packing goes with this kind of business and all kinds of sweepings. One morning, when the world was at its prettiest I happened to be digging a hole for the purpose of burying and burning junk, when I suddenly got a little knock on my left foot, but then both of my legs were ok.
I looked down to see what the cause was and saw a small redwing, but the spot is covered with brushwood and there´s a forestry-fence on the station´s lot.
I bent down and picked up a tiny bird, which, to my great wonder didn´t make any attempt to fly or run away.
I reckoned at once that something was bothering it for the heartbeat was so convulsive that it was like a blow in my palm.
Ai, I thought, It's possibly dying the poor thing and put it in the pocket of my baggy gas-station blouse that I happened to be wearing. There it moped for a while without any movement, but I took a look around and saw the reason.
On a corner-pole a falcon was sitting having its gleaming eyes on me. I aimed the shovel, knocking it on a stone for the reason of scarying it away and it worked.
Then I kept on digging until I found a tiny worm. I took the bird from the pocket and tried to feed it on the worm, not really believing that it would eat a thing. Non the less it ate greedily and soforth a few others I happened to find by digging. I put the bird on the ground by the hole which I was digging with much rampage.
It was free to go.
But it chose to hang around for a while, despite my loud rampaging.
Well dear reader there I could see that the tiny bird was avoiding the falcon, which really is living a good life in this area praying on thrushes and ptarmigans, which also lay their eggs there just as the falcon does, but this time I probably ruined its breakfast.
But I have often speculated why the redwing sought refuge by my side, a human being that it normally avoids most (not me personally but human beings as such).
Having two choses, either be eaten by the falcon or killed by a human being; was the tiny redwing able to speculate? Eg. whether to trust the man or the falcon.
I really have no idea but this tiny bird put its life in my hands. I picked up a few more worms for my tiny friend, before we departed.
When I'd finished digging large enough a hole I went to gather the refuse.
The redwing disappeared, while I was gone. Hopefully it had enough of worms for feeding its children.
This short story about trusting one's enemy, or the one that frightenes oneself has often revisited my mind, but I've always reached the same conclusion that the tiny redwing didn´t really have the judgement to do what it did, but that it was by some natural instinct, that is the will to live.
Unfortunately not everybody has that will.
This is the end dear reader and hopefully you´ve enjoyed it, making you think a little about these little things that are always happening in our nature.
Never the less I've remembered this event all these years and while I recall this event many others are recalled as well.
Djupmannabud is almost innermost in the Deep fiord in the gape of a valley called Heydalur (hay valley), actually my roots on my mother's side lie there.
There happens to be a great landscape and fauna.
The end