THAT'S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR
It had been one of these nights, you know, these which leave us tired and exhausted. Sleepless hours between cold sheets, lonelyness and a troubled mind prevent us from passing into the realm of lighthearted dreams. So we're waiting desperately for the sun to rise and to bring back both light and wings to make us fly through the hours of day.
But as I said, it had been one of these nights and when morning finally broke there was neither brightness nor lightness and Pooroola's heart felt sore. She looked out of her window and realized the sky had come down to earth, thick clouds shrouding trees and flowers. There was no sound, no movement. She wondered whether the birds were still fast asleep or whether they might have fled the ghastly mists which shut out life's elixir, the sun.
She dressed in a hurry and went outside. Silence as deep as you really can't imagine surrounded the small garden in the midst of that old, old, in fact very old forest. Not a squeak, not a chirp, not even a groan or grumph from a roving boar. Pooroola took comfort in listening to her own blood rushing through her body, badoom, badoom, badoom it sang out the rhythm of her small heart. She was not frightened, she never was, but she felt weary and longed for some company.
Wouldn't it be nice to have a little chat with birds, now? Or maybe a laugh with a fox? she thought. I might even engage in a little wrestling with a bear - just for fun, of course. I'd also love to chase a squirrel!
But the forest lay quiet. She slipped her hand through the low hanging branches of a linden trying to seduce the leaves to come forth with a happy giggle. Alas, they made no sound. Drop by drop dew rolled off the leaves and trickled into the soft ground. And allthough Pooroola couldn't hear the dripping, she picked the beat and started to hum a little tune. Then there were words to it and she sang a wee bit louder:
Hey-ho drip drip drop
Oops - what was that? There was a chirpy sound somewhere high up, above the fallen sky it seemed, here and there some dew drops sparkled like tiny stars. So Pooroola went on singing:
Hey-ho peep peep peep
And - who would have thought it? - here a little bird came flying, landed on Pooroola's head whisteling a merry song. Good morning, Master Goldfeather! Pooroola greeted politely. You know, you always have to be polite when meeting someone, but in case you meet a gentle bird like this you can't help being polite, anyway.
So, there were two singers in the old, old, in fact very old forest, and their cheerful song spread like the wind. It rushed through bushes, and their leaves started to rustle. It rose to the tops of the trees and awakend sleepy birds. It rolled along the ground and told the hedgehog to get up. And the more Pooroola and Mr.Goldfeather sang the more creatures, tiny ones and big ones, small ones and huge ones awoke and chimed in their tune. Soon the entire forest was alive and chanting.
And while the bear came visiting and suggested a little wrestling - just for fun, of course -, and the squirrel cried out: Catch me if you can!, and the birds chatted away and the fox was telling jokes... the sun way, way up above the fallen sky woke up.
Now what's going on down there? the sun asked himself (you may know that it's a habit of the sun to talk to himself). But as the sun couldn't see a thing down there on earth he decided to draw back the curtains made of mist and fog.
It was like a shower of stars, when his blazing light broke through the green roof of the forest. Millions and millions of dew drops were set on fire, glistened and sparkled and then... woosh, they disappeared, just like that!
So you see, if you find yourself alone and weary - don't be afraid. Just look around and you will find something that will make your heart cheer. And as long as you got a song to make your cheering heart heard, you will find friends. And everybody knows:
If you have friends - you have sunshine galore.
Eva - Fairy Tale Auntie - Bekker
from the high tree top
sweet dew drops come a-rolling
Hey-ho tip tip tap
I can hear my step
as through the woods I'm strolling
little bird so sweet
please hear my morning greeting
Hey-ho sing sing sing
and then spread your wing
let us have a happy meeting
If you have friends - your heart won't be sore.
