🌲🎁🍩Mystery of a Gift📖❄✨
by Ann 🎶
🌲🎁🍩Chapter 4📖❄✨
The next morning the brothers had just come down the carpeted stairs to the first floor, on their way to breakfast, when their dad stepped into the entranceway to the living room. He had a smile on his face as he silently gestured for his sons to follow him steathly. They hurried in anticipation to do so, making sure to be quiet.
Joining their dad at the big front bay window, the brothers quickly assessed the outdoors beyond to find what had caught his attention. It took them only a second to spot the squirrels scurrying around on the ground, playing on top of the snow. Birds jumped here and there before taking off to fly to a branch of a nearby fir tree and making snow airborne from the movement. Fenton looked down at his two sons and smiled, glad he’d taken the time to share what he’d seen.
“Hey, look!” exclaimed Joe, nearly pressing his face against the glass to see, but stopping short of that. “There’s another squirrel! He just found several nuts!”
A feminine voice came from the doorway, “Hmmmm, so did I.”
Joe turned to look over at his mom and laughed at the teasing. “Why are we nuts?”
“Because you could be eating breakfast instead of watching squirrels eat their breakfast!” Laura laughed as she came over to join them. Her husband slipped his left arm around her.
“Look!” exclaimed Joe. He gestured toward a large red colored bird and a smaller mostly brown bird. Glancing over at his brother he nodded as they said in unison, “ᏙᏧᏩ (Do-tsu-wa) and ᏦᎳ (Tso-la).” They had learned the Cherokee names for the male and female birds also known as Cardinals.
“And over there toward Mom’s flower garden, jumping around some twigs on top of the snow.” Frank watched the little birds that some call Juncos.
“Ah, ᏚᏗ (Du-di),” Laura nodded using the Cherokee word for the cute little snow birds.
“Some ᎤᏍᏟ (U-s-tli) just joined the party,” added Frank as his dark eyes spotted a tiny bird, aka Tufted Titmouse, playing around then saw a couple more.
“I think they all have a great idea. Eating breakfast!” Fenton steered his family toward the kitchen.
James met them in the kitchen, and the family sat down to a delicious meal. Conversation turned to plans for the day.
“Samuel and Sarah said we could come over when we were done helping you, Mom,” Frank told her, referring to their friends and next door neighbors who’d promised to let the brothers help finish building a new birdfeeder. They enjoyed going over and hearing stories from the Cherokee husband and wife. They’d learned quite a few Cherokee words so far and were eager to gain more.
“That’s very thoughtful.” Laura smiled. Samuel and Sarah both had a strong sense of duty and were impressed with Frank and Joe’s honoring their mother and father.
“Make sure to memorize the story for today to tell me later when I get back,” requested Fenton. He was going to the Bayport Police Department to talk with his friend Chief Ezra Collig and let him know of important details he’d uncovered concerning the computer program used in state and county elections that allowed access, specifically manipulation of the results.
“We will!” promised Joe.
“And James will get to hear it, too.” Frank glanced over at their cousin, who nodded with a grin.
“That’s right. I’m looking forward to it. I have a gift for them, too.” James had gotten to meet them a while ago and he always found it a blessing to visit with his friends.
************
A short time later, after greetings and gifts were exchanged, the birdhouse was worked on while Samuel told a story.
“One day, Do-tsu-wa is flying in an area he does not know. He sees a cousin and wings his way down to talk with him. After they had greeted one another and talked for a while, Do-tsu-wa says he must get back, so that he can follow the trail in the light. His cousin warns him before he leaves to stay away from that which is not a real bird, he is not who he says he is. This caused Do-tsu-wa to stop as he was prepared to take off.
“‘Isn’t what he says he is’? What do you mean?”
“He lies. What he says he is, he is not.”
Do-tsu-wa heard what his cousin told him, but he did not listen to his cousin. As he began to return home, his eyes were on the path, but he kept thinking of that fake bird. Why did he lie? Do-tsu-wa was sure he would not be able to fool him. He was very curious about the whole situation. So he left the path and soon spotted where his cousin had warned would be the false bird.
It was obvious to Do-tsu-wa that this was not a bird. He asked him who he was.
“I’m a bird like you.”
“I do not believe you. You don’t act or look like a bird.” Do-tsu-wa was not going to be fooled.
“You are wrong. I’m an expert on science. I know whether or not I’m a bird. You can trust me and my words. Many know of me and listen to what I say. Surely, you aren’t so backwards or old-fashioned that you can’t see that I’m correct.”
Do-tsu-wa, hearing how he’d said backwards and old-fashioned, did not want to be considered as such. He wanted to be as smart and educated as the next bird. “Well, of course I’m not!” he defended himself.
“Then, you must believe I’m a bird. I will be offended if you don’t.”
Do-tsu-wa eyed the one who was saying this. He would have to lie, because he didn’t want to offend him. “I suppose there’s nothing wrong if you want to say you’re a bird.” Even though you’re not, Do-tsu-wa thought to himself.
“Good. That shows how smart and progressive you are. We can be friends and you can help me tell your friends.”
Do-tsu-wa wasn’t too sure about this that he was told. Especially concerning his cousin. He would be embarrassed for him to know he lied.
“You are so smart, you can lead the way back,” said he who was not a bird.
Do-tsu-wa decided to say something, even though it wasn’t going to be popular with the trickster liar. “But you can’t fly.”
“Not all birds fly.”
“But you have no wings.”
The trickster bared his fangs, not liking this display of logical thinking. “So? It is offensive to me for you to point that out. I don’t like that hate speech.”
Do-tsu-wa noticed as the trickster spoke he had started moving closer. This was not good. Do-tsu-wa flapped his wings to put some distance between himself and the liar.
“Where are you going? Aren’t you going to invite me along on your journey? My feelings will be hurt if you don’t.”
Do-tsu-wa did not like to hurt anyone’s feelings, but, as he looked at the sharp teeth and claws of the one who was not a bird, he realized he could get truly hurt as could his friends. Realizing he had started to be tricked, even after his cousin’s warning, he took flight, soaring up high into the sky.
Leaving the trickster, the coyote, snarling in anger below, Do-tsu-wa thanked the Creator for watching out for him, even though he’d started to go along with a lie. He knew better.” Samuel finished his story then asked the brothers, “What is the lesson Do-tsu-wa learned?”
“Don’t believe liars,” responded Joe.
“Think for yourself,” Frank added.
“You both have wisdom. Your parents have taught you well.”
The birdhouse was soon completed and set up with food for their feathered friends. They all sensed from signs in nature that there would be a lot of snow this winter.
“I like helping them out and seeing them enjoy the gifts,” stated Joe, watching for any of the birds to start arriving. The humans had moved to the porch to observe the birds’ approval of the wooden structure.
Frank remembered to ask Samuel and Sarah if they had seen the Hopalong Cassidy movie they’d watched the night before. The couple had and agreed it was a good movie.
“We appreciate movies with good sense, justice, and adventure,” commented Sarah. She had brought some snacks and apple juice to the porch. Although she’d invited everyone inside, right then they wanted to watch the birdhouse from as close as they could.
“Do-tsu-wa!” Joe spotted their first visitor. Then the next one, “Tso-la!”
“They like it!” grinned Frank.
The Hardy boys and James stayed a while longer as more birds found the thoughtful gift.
************
That evening the stars, ᎠᏂᏃᏈᏏ (a-ni-no-qui-si) were twinkling up above and shining bright.
“It’s bright enough to play outside,” stated Joe, looking out the bedroom window, past the silhouettes of the tall fir, oak, and elm trees, to the huge sky.
“True,” Frank agreed, “but we’ve got to do some studying then go to bed.” He was focused on a folded piece of card quality paper in his hand. Joe knew exactly what it was, but just had to kid his brother.
“Whatcha studying? Memorizing something?”
“Like you don’t know.”
“Me?!?” Joe was the picture of innocence. He reached over and snagged the folded piece of paper. Frank just calmly looked at him and reached his hand out to reclaim the card. Joe pretended to study it for a long second then returned it to his brother.
“Taking you a long time to memorize a minus and a ‘D’.” Joe shrugged his shoulders. “You’re usually quicker than that.”
“Very funny.”
Joe laughed then his eyes lit up in delight as he spotted another clue his brother had constructed for him. The arrows had been shifted and he followed them to several arrows made from paper or signs out of their train set. They were pointing to…yet one more arrow! With a bow on top! Joe looked over at his brother who just looked back at him calmly and casually, not giving anything away from his expression.
🎀❄GOING LIVE HERE’S CHAPTER FIVE!❄🎀
Enjoy the chapter? Please let me know – tap/click here to go to the chapter post. Thank you!
Hardy and Drew Mysteries 