Dear Reader,
“I look to a day when people will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character.”—Martin Luther King
Once upon a time, long ago, there were two friends. Now, these friends were not just any kind of friends: they were bird friends. One bird was an Eagle and the other was an Owl. The Eagle’s name was Hawk-eye and the Owl’s name was Ophelia. Hawk-eye and Ophelia were the unlikeliest of friends because, you see, Eagles hunt during the day and Owls hunt during the night. How they met will remain a forever mystery. But, meet they did, and, they loved each other almost immediately.
What follows is the story of Ophelia the Owl. Owls are notoriously wise, and Ophelia was no exception. The very first time Ophelia met Hawk-eye, Ophelia had the wisdom to understand that Hawk-eye was of sound character. Hawk-eye was considerate, honest, honorable. Ophelia knew it was not important that Hawk-eye the Eagle looked different than all the night birds she was used to. Ophelia was a sweet owl and she trusted Hawk-eye because he never judged her either. Hawk-eye would visit Ophelia at night, and they would soar through the thick black sky without a care in the world. This bird friendship was new and strong with a foundation build on telling one another the truth. While Ophelia and Hawk-eye disagreed on things sometimes, they agreed to disagree and not let their differences keep them apart: they always hooted and whistled and piped with one another until they reached an understanding. Things like what time of day they hunted how each one had a different song only served to make them love one another more. Ophelia and Hawk-eye were neighbors and they loved each other.
On that fateful night, Ophelia waited long after dusk for Hawk-eye the Eagle to come and pick her up. At dawn, when Hawk-eye never came, Ophelia went looking for her friend. It’s true what they say about the heart leading because Ophelia’s heart led her straight to where Hawk-eye was caught in the fence. Ophelia put her wings around Hawk-eye and whispered to him that she loved him. Ophelia’s heart broke as Hawk-eye drew his last breath.
The End
For Hawk-eye the Eagle’s side of the story, please visit our website, https://russellbinscarthlibrary.ca.
Hawk-eye the Eagle and Ophelia the Owl are living happily ever after at the Russell and District Regional Library Gallery.
Also available at the Library is an Optical Magnifier for public use by anyone looking to achieve Hawk-eye vision.
Please visit us on Facebook and Instagram @yoursmalltownlibrary. Telephone: 204-773-3127
Happy reading, until next time,
The Library Ladies