The Mean Crow

Noortje is lying in her bed. She can’t get to sleep and so she occasionally pulls her blanket over her head. Her feet get exposed and become cold. ‘Hou can that be,’ she whispers

She pulls the blanket under her legs, at no point she didn’t realize that she had grown. Mom had promised that she gets a new bed soon. She was grown out of her bed end blanket. Again, she pulls her legs under the blanket.

 

‘Hi Noor, what would you say if I teach you how to fly,’ ask a voice from the open window. Surprised she looks at the windowsill and sees the crow.

‘Not really, people can’t fly,’ and she waves her hand as a sign that the crow must leave.

‘Your think you are dreaming, aren’t you? Come here and I will prove to you that this isn’t a dream,’ crows the crow.

Cautiously she stands up and walks to the window. The crow bends forward and pecks her cheek. ‘Well, if you feel this you understand that you don’t dream,’ he says.

Noortje grabs her cheek but doesn’t believe him. The last time she had squeezed herself she had felt it too. And as it turned out, it had been a dream. No, she didn’t kick in a second time.

‘Believe me, you really don’t dream. I promised you that I would teach you how to fly and promise is promised, so I’m going to teach you how to fly,’ the crow calls out.

‘But …, but …, I don’t have to climb into that scary tree, do I,’ asks Noortje.

‘No, I promise. In the church there is a staircase that leads to the tower. First, we must see coming into the church, come quick. before you know its daylight.

‘What will people look up if they see you fly. But don’t tell them who taught you that. Come hurry.’

Noortje sneaks down and softly she closes the front door. She follows the crow, who flies for her out to church. The door of the church door is wide open and for a moment she stops. Anxiously she looks at the crow.

‘Go in quickly, before the priest sees you,’ whispers the crow.

Noortje runs in and climbs up the stairs. The priest looks around. For a moment he thought he heard something, but he can’t see anything suspicious. He leaves the church and carefully closes the door. Then he walks to the presbytery.

‘What now,’ Noortje asks. She looks around but can’t discover the crow.

‘Well, that’s nice, he has disappointed me again’

‘Crow, crow,’ she hears high up in the tower.  ‘Crow, crow, come upstairs. I’m on the ridge of the church,’ the crow calls out.

She slowly starts to climb up the high steps. Finally, she is up and tired of the climb she sits down. ‘I want to go to sleep, maybe I should learn to fly another time. Please, let us go home, I am so tired,’ she calls to the crow.

‘You want to learn it now, or I will never learn it to you.’ shout the crow. ‘I’ll get you in the middle of the night and what do you do. You are only complaining and complaining and complaining. Come on Noor, you can do it. Just follow me!’

Noortje wants to learn how to fly. Imagine. What will they look up when she flies around the house. If Droef is annoying, he can’t catch her. No, she would fly around him. Just as long as it made him dizzy.

‘Okay, I’ll do it. Tell me what to do?’

‘That’s what I want to hear, you will not regret it, just do what I do,’ replied the crow.

‘Don’t do it, Noortje,’ she suddenly hears.

Noortje recognizes the voice. It is the voice of the little man sitting on her shoulder and whispering in her ear.

‘Don’t do it, you’re going to fall. Believe me, don’t. Think of your Mom and Dad. If something happened to you, they will be very sad. You must know it for yourself. If you jump once, I can’t save you anymore. Then the crow has won. Believe me, don’t trust him.’

‘Noor, you know that whispering is not tidy,’ the crow calls out. ‘He certainly wants to persuade you not to learn to fly. Don’t trust him. He’s just jealous. Just climb on the edge and let yourself fall on my mark. No more looking around and don’t listening to him.’

Noortje doubts and looks from one to the other. Noortje still climbs on the edge and looks down. The tower is so high that she feels a bit dizzy. She looks into the depth and it seems as if she is being pulled down. Suddenly her eyes fall on the fence. That impressive fence that she always looks up to. That fence with those mean points at the end.

‘Is it safe. Imagine that I fall on top of the fence,’ she asks anxiously.

‘Well, no, you can just fly over it. Just do what I say. Jump spread your arms wide and occasionally you must make some adjustments to keep direction. That’s all,’ says the crow and shows her what he meant.

Don’t do it Noortje,’ begs the little man again. ‘People can’t fly. Really not. Otherwise your Mom and Dad would have taught you that.’

Noortje started to cry. It’s true. Mom had indeed told her that people can’t fly. She also explained to her why birds can. Oh, how stupid she is to believe the crow.

The crow gets angry and urges her to try it. ‘I will help you. You just need a push,’ he calls.

He lands behind her and gives her a big push. Noortje spreads her arms and tries to fly, but the only thing she sees is that the fence is getting closer and closer and closer ….

 

Noortje screams and suddenly she feels the arms of Mommy around her.

‘My dearest, you have a bad dream,’ whispers Mom and softly kiss her daughter on her forehead

Noortje puts her arms around her and whispers. ‘If I get that big crow, I’ll teach him how to swim.’

Mom puts her back in the bed and gently rubs Noortje’s hair. ‘My darling, I don’t know what you dreamed of, but a crow really can’t swim. It is not a duck.’

‘Nice, that will teach him,’ Noortje replies softly and she turns on her side. Puts her thumb in her mouth and falls immediately asleep.

Mom shrugs and whispers. ‘Ah well, goodnight, honey,’ and with a smile she closes the door behind her.

 

The End