Timmy wondered where he could put Raven so that the family could see him. Then he noticed the bird feeders hanging in the tree not too far away. Timmy looked all around to see if anyone was outside, and seeing no one, he went slowly toward the feeders. He thought he could leave Raven by the tree, and when the little boy came out to fill the feeders, he would see Raven, and help him. Timmy gently lifted Raven from the basket, and laid him on the ground carefully, so as not to hurt his wing. Then he whispered to Raven, “Trust me, Raven. This family will help you. I will watch from the woods to make sure that the little boy finds you. Trust me, I’m your friend.”
Raven just looked up at Timmy. He couldn’t believe that Timmy had said that he was his friend, after he had laughed at him, and scared him. A big tear came into Raven’s dark eye, as he saw Timmy turn and head for the woods. “Good bye, Timmy Bear. Th…th..thank you.”
Timmy bear hurried to the edge of the woods, and sat down to wait for the little boy to come to the feeders. He hoped he had done the right thing by bringing Raven here. He hoped the boy was home, and that he would soon come out.
After what seemed like an ever so long time, and just as Timmy felt himself nod off to sleep, a noise startled him and he looked over to where Raven lay. Timmy opened his eyes wide, and he saw the little boy stop, and look at the spot where Raven lay on the ground. But, then he turned around and ran to the house. “Oh no,” said Timmy, “Now what is he going to do?”
But Timmy need not have worried, for soon the little boy was coming back with a big person, his mother. Timmy watched as the two people slowly walked up to Raven, and knelt down beside him. Carefully, the woman lifted the bird, and placed him in a big box very carefully, and then the two returned to the house. Timmy couldn’t hear what they were saying, but he did know that the human friends would take care of Raven. Timmy hoped that they would be able to fix Raven’s wing so that he could fly again.
Many days went by, and once a day Timmy would walk to the edge of the woods to see if there was any sign that Raven was alright. After a few weeks, Timmy began to think that maybe Raven had not gotten any better, and Timmy became sad. He had hoped that the bird would be alright, but maybe that was not to be. More weeks went by and still Timmy went to the edge of the woods, hoping to see Raven.
On a very sunny day, just after a light rain shower, Timmy was making his way down the path through the woods. He stopped at the pond to say hello to his frog friends who were always hanging in the water, then he waved to Bushy Tail Squirrel who was running across the branch of the big spruce tree, and then he heard a familiar noise up ahead of him, and he ran as fast as he could. All of a sudden a great black bird landed on a low branch of the tree ahead of Timmy, and Timmy smiled the biggest smile that he had ever smiled, for there on the tree branch was Raven.
“Oh Raven, Raven, you’re better, you can fly, you’re all better!”
Timmy was so happy he could almost fly himself.
“I had to come and find you, Timmy,” said Raven in a much softer voice than Timmy remembered. “I had to come, to thank you for what you did for me. After all the teasing I did to you and the other forest creatures, and scaring you all the time, you helped me. Without you, I would have died.”
“Well,” said Timmy, “That’s what friends are for. We all need to help each other! I’m sure that if I was in trouble, you would help me, wouldn’t you?”
“I sure would,” Raven spoke with a very strong voice. “I would help you with anything. You helped me to see that I really am a part of the forest family, and I promise that I will never pull any more pranks, as I used to do. I want to be your friend. I want to be a friend to all the creatures. I am even going back and visit the people at the edge of the woods. They were so kind to me. You were right about them. Do you think the others will want me as a friend?”
Timmy nodded his head. “I’m sure they will. Lets go find squirrel and fox, rabbit and mouse, and even the frogs, and tell them that you are all better, and want to be part of our family.”
So Timmy ran off down the path to the pond, while Raven flew in circles above him, singing a happy song. Timmy felt a tear roll down his fuzzy cheek. He was so happy that things had turned out the way they did. Raven would be a good friend now, he was sure.
Timmy wished he had a way to say thank you to the family at the edge of the woods, but he couldn’t come up with an idea.
“I hope they know what a great thing they did for Raven,” said Timmy to the wind. I think I will pick some blueberries for them, and leave them at the feeders when they’re not around. They would never believe that a bear would do such a thing, but I have to say thank you some how.
Timmy rushed off to the pond to see the frogs and tell them the wonderful news. Raven had learned a big lesson, and everybody would feel good about that.
___________________________________________Lots of snow fell, starting this afternoon. The birds were busy at the feeder as the snow began to fall in earnest. It was nice to see 6 or 8 evening grossbeaks and a white breasted nuthatch among the others. Of course, the juncos, chickadees, doves and jays were there as well, along with 2 squirrels, now.
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