Dyevushka and Malchik
A bedtime story by Emily Dunne
Once upon a time under the heat of a distant tropical sun there lived two ruby feathered parrots named Dyevushka and Malchik. In youth the two spent their happiest moments together; Malchik was a master of word and song and taught Dyevushka to speak and sing such beautiful words she never dreamed to utter. Dyevushka was a master of the heart and in return taught Malchik how to love fearlessly. In the evening they would rest on the branches of the great Kapok tree where Dyevushka slept quietly in Malchik’s wings as he sang her to sleep.
One evening there was a commotion amongst the trees and suddenly as Malchik awoke a dark net came crashing down over Dyevushka and swooped her away. “Malchik!” She cried “My Malchik, please save me!” and she was stuffed into a canvas sack. With a great cry Malchik flew at her captors but was struck with a staff and left in the low brush of the jungle for dead. When he awoke later he was alone in the forest unable to move. He cried many times “Dyevushka my love, where are you…” but all of his calls went unanswered and he lay there for a long time with a very broken heart.
When Dyevushka was pulled from the sack her head was spinning with confusion. All around her were whizzing neon lights. Great metal creatures roared on frozen tar rivers and glaring rectangular mountains threatened the existence of the sky. Dyevushka was brought inside a dark cave of sorts and placed in a metal cage. The strange place was full of mirrors, chests, and bunnies; A tall man dressed in all black approached her and pulled an apple out of his top-hat for her to eat “New York” he said with a coy smile and walked away.
Every day was a lonely eternity for Dyevushka. Without Malchik at her side she began to forget all of the beautiful stories and ballads of her youth. She ceased to make any noise at all and became of little value to her captor. She spent her days gazing into the dusty mirrors around her and seeing a small red parrot that resembled one she had loved so well. At night the moonlight shone through the windows reminding Dyevushka of the jungle; she wished upon the stars in her memory that she would one day be reunited with Malchik.
Malchik spent many days and nights in the great Kapok tree healing and praying to the great spirit of the earth. He petitioned for a way to find Dyevushka and bring her home. One night in the middle of a fierce storm a messenger owl from the North appeared to Malchik. “The great spirit informs” said the owl “that this wild wind shall be your guide; the wind will lead you over mountains and oceans into a very foreign land indeed. You must never cease flight once you take off or you shall neither reach your destination nor return to this jungle. Dyevushka awaits you – Fly!”
Malchik could hardly believe his good fortune and he beat into the night sky with ferocity riding the fateful wind. He flew day after day after day through the jungle rains, the mountains snows and the oceans surges. Never before had such a small bird traveled so far or for so long. There were times when exhaustion almost overcame Malchik over the perilous seas but he had only to think on Dyevushka and his energy was renewed. Malchik had not forgotten love and nothing would stop his determined soul.
As Dyevushka was falling asleep in her cage one evening the wind began to pick up outside and the trees rattled mercilessly upon the windows. There was unrest among all the caged animals and Dyevushka clung to the side of her cage in fear. Suddenly there was a great crash as all of the window panes exploded in shards into the room and the glass in the mirrors came crashing down from the force. All of the cages went crashing to the floor and chaos erupted.
Dyevushka strained her eyes in the darkness looking for some sort of answer. There on the floor before her lay a beautiful ruby feathered parrot in a pool of blood, cut all over from the broken glass. “Malchik” She whispered, the first words she had spoken in years. “Oh Malchik” and he lifted his eyes to hers “Fly, Dyevushka” He urged. “Fly away from here – I will meet you in the jungle.” Their hearts both stopped as they heard the footsteps of their captor coming towards the room. “Go!” He cried. “Why aren’t you going? Get out of here!” Dyevushka could not remember the right words to say; She only knew love – the kind that would never leave Malchik for the world. Both birds were promptly scooped up and locked together in the small cage in the dark room.
Days and nights passed, the room was cleaned and the windows and mirrors were slowly repaired. Dyevushka attended to Malchik’s wounds and nursed him back to health. In time the two were singing together and it was as though they were never separated. Although they longed to return to the jungle, they had each other and that was more than enough for true happiness. Dyevushka found utter content in resting her head on Malchik’s shoulder in the indirect moonlight as he sang her to sleep each night.
Time passed as it often did to the obliviousness of the two lovebirds. Their captor came to the mirrored room less and less. The loudness of the strange place became a soft hush and the sounds of wildlife overtook the air. Through the windows grew many vines and through the ceiling fell a soft rain rusting all the cages until all were free. In time the jungle overtook the strange mountains and tar rivers. Dyevushka and Malchik found refuge in a young Kapok tree in a place once called Times Square. They spent their happiest moments together raising a family in the growing branches and they lived happily, happily ever after.
The end.
