From her perch high above the forest, she could see all the creatures
below going about their daily lives. She could see the mama bears lovingly
teaching their children how to fish. She could see raccoons happily cuddled
together in their hollows. All of the other animals had company, it seemed. All
of the other animals had love in their lives.
For as long as she could remember, Eagle had been a solitary creature. She equated strength with independence, and she never turned to anybody for anything. However, something in her had changed and she was growing tired of living in that manner.
Other birds were intimidated by Eagle because she was so strong and independent. Because of this, Eagle felt like she didn’t have many options. When Kite came along, he honed in on Eagle’s desperation immediately. He knew Eagle was out of his league, but in a moment of weakness, he figured she might just be hopeless enough to give him a chance.
“Why do you look so woebegone?" asked Kite. Eagle explained her situation to him and was taken aback when Kite himself offered to marry her. Not only did Kite suggest marriage, he promised Eagle that his strength would allow him to easily provide for the both of them. He boasted that he would be able to carry off an ostrich as if it weighed nothing more than a feather.
Eagle thought her lucky day had finally come along. She married Kite immediately. The two had a beautiful wedding and things seemed to be looking up for Eagle. However, Eagle had been too eager and too naive. After the wedding, the façade came crashing down. When Kite went out to fetch a celebratory meal for his bride, all he brought back was a tiny mouse.
For as long as she could remember, Eagle had been a solitary creature. She equated strength with independence, and she never turned to anybody for anything. However, something in her had changed and she was growing tired of living in that manner.
Other birds were intimidated by Eagle because she was so strong and independent. Because of this, Eagle felt like she didn’t have many options. When Kite came along, he honed in on Eagle’s desperation immediately. He knew Eagle was out of his league, but in a moment of weakness, he figured she might just be hopeless enough to give him a chance.
“Why do you look so woebegone?" asked Kite. Eagle explained her situation to him and was taken aback when Kite himself offered to marry her. Not only did Kite suggest marriage, he promised Eagle that his strength would allow him to easily provide for the both of them. He boasted that he would be able to carry off an ostrich as if it weighed nothing more than a feather.
Eagle thought her lucky day had finally come along. She married Kite immediately. The two had a beautiful wedding and things seemed to be looking up for Eagle. However, Eagle had been too eager and too naive. After the wedding, the façade came crashing down. When Kite went out to fetch a celebratory meal for his bride, all he brought back was a tiny mouse.
"Is that the Ostrich you
talked about?" asked Eagle in disgust. "To win you, I would have said
and promised anything," replied Kite. Eagle could not believe Kite. Even more so, Eagle could not believe herself. How
had she been so foolish? Her longing for love had blinded her and she vowed
that she would never let that happen again.
Eagle reverted to the solitude she knew so well. Not only was she alone; her short-lived marriage to Kite had made her bitter as well. She no longer got warm feelings watching families of creatures below her. She spurned love and companionship.
Years passed and little changed in the life of Eagle. All of the other animals knew the state that Eagle was in, but none of them understood why. One night, Falcon flew up to her tree. Falcon was an honest, hardworking bird who had admired Eagle for several years. Falcon knew that he and Eagle were both aging. He figured they might as well spend their golden years together. Feeling like he had nothing to lose, he approached Eagle with the best intentions.
Eagle reverted to the solitude she knew so well. Not only was she alone; her short-lived marriage to Kite had made her bitter as well. She no longer got warm feelings watching families of creatures below her. She spurned love and companionship.
Years passed and little changed in the life of Eagle. All of the other animals knew the state that Eagle was in, but none of them understood why. One night, Falcon flew up to her tree. Falcon was an honest, hardworking bird who had admired Eagle for several years. Falcon knew that he and Eagle were both aging. He figured they might as well spend their golden years together. Feeling like he had nothing to lose, he approached Eagle with the best intentions.
“Eagle,” he
said, “you don’t have to be alone, you know.” Eagle said nothing. “You aren’t
as young as you used to be and hunting is not as easy as it once was for either
of us,” Falcon continued. “Let’s help each other. Nothing but good will come of
a partnership between us. I’ve admired you for years, and I think we could have a great
life together.”
Eagle scoffed. “Don’t waste your breath,” she said. “I’ve survived this long on my own and I have no plans to change that.”
Falcon respected her wishes and left her tree with a heavy heart. He had been nothing but genuine to her, why couldn’t she see that? After turning away someone who would have truly cared for her, Eagle lived the rest of her days alone.
Eagle scoffed. “Don’t waste your breath,” she said. “I’ve survived this long on my own and I have no plans to change that.”
Falcon respected her wishes and left her tree with a heavy heart. He had been nothing but genuine to her, why couldn’t she see that? After turning away someone who would have truly cared for her, Eagle lived the rest of her days alone.
(Kite sculpture at Llanwrtyd Wells in Wales, Wikimedia Commons)
Author's Note: This story is based on The Eagle and the Kite, an Aesop fable where the moral of the story is that all is fair in love. The original ends with the Kite telling the Eagle that he would have done anything to win her over. I decided to continue the story for my retelling and I also chose to reshape the moral into more of a 'once bitten, twice shy' thing.
Bibliography:
Book: Aesop for Children witth illustrations by Milo Winter
Author: Aesop
Year Published: 1919
Web Source: The Project Gutenberg
I enjoyed this story a lot! I thought you did a good job with writing it, and I liked that you changed the end. I think the way you ended it was a better fit than how you said it normally ends. This story has a good moral to it and was easy to read. I was constantly asking myself "How is this going to end?" Which I definitely think is a good thing when reading a story. Great work!
ReplyDeleteI really like your story, you did a good job with writing the different end for this story. The Eagle and the Kite, which is a famous story, but after your retelling, I felt the different view of this story, I also felt that you said "once bitten, twice shy" is appropriate for this retelling, which gives the readers new view and new comments.
ReplyDeleteI really like this story! I also liked how you changed the ending. This led to make the story to have more meaning and become more relatable to readers. I know a couple people that have been broken by someone and have had a hard time learning that not everyone is the same and they do not have to go through life on their own.
ReplyDeleteI read this story earlier and it made me sad. I knew it would be a good one to change and extend. I really like what you did with it, I want to hug the eagle and the falcon. This is a situation that I think happens too often in real life. It's so sad.
ReplyDelete