The great eagle and the little cricket

It all began on a cool summer day. Little cricket was always scared of countless things, always afraid he would be laughed at. He never dared to do things like the others. As cricket grew, he remained scared, always pulling what courage he did have from his friends. He could never jump on his own, always looking for help from others.

This saddened him, keeping him in a very low place, never being able to venture out on his own. For a very long time, he sat motionless not knowing what to do. Eventually, he met a lady cricket, how beautiful he thought she was. She warmed him keeping him from the cold. He was happy for some time but still could never jump as he wanted. Little crickets’ spirits became very broken, not even his lady could warm him anymore.

One night he began to cry, weeping for what seemed a lifetime. As he wept a great eagle came passing him by, the wind from his wings so great he was overtaken. Without realizing it, cricket had just made his first jump. Overwhelmed by the feeling he jumped again. At that moment he began to feel brave. Every time he would jump, he would smile a little more. He began to venture away from home, the further away he got the happier he became or so he thought.

He came across a rooster saying, “Be careful how fast you jump, you could end up somewhere you don’t want to be. If I was any other old rooster I would’ve eaten you, but I’m very proud of you for taking that first step.” Cricket thanked him, going on his way only thinking about what the rooster had said not paying attention to where he would land next.

Excitedly, he jumped home to his lady cricket. Exclaiming “Look, look how high I can jump!” She paused a moment, then went about her business not caring to look very long. She had gone cold giving all her warmth to him. This was very saddening to little cricket. He began chirping as loud as he could trying to cheer her up, but nothing he did seemed to work.

Tremendously upset, he took off jumping. The more upset he became the faster he would jump. He came upon a crossing where he knew other crickets like him hung out. There he ended up meeting a red cricket.

After a few visits, his lady cricket started to worry. She came searching for him, but he was nowhere to be found. He had followed the Red cricket home, who won him over with niceties. He wasn’t used to someone being so nice to him.

At first, he was comfortable making the best of his new surroundings. Red worked hard on keeping cricket satisfied, bringing him countless gifts. But nothing she did could fill the hole in crickets’ heart.

After a while cricket started to notice eggs around Red's nest. He became curious and began to follow her around. He started asking about the eggs he had seen. All she would ever say is they were for decoration. In disbelief, he started talking about the great eagle, and how he made him feel. She would talk back acting as if she had known the great eagle herself.

After a while, he started seeing more eggs. This time he followed closely behind her, watching her every move. He noticed a dark shadow behind her, the longer he watched the more he noticed. A tail came out from behind her startling him. At this point, he quickly realized she was no cricket at all, but a snake.

Red had tricked little cricket with her nice words which he now understood were lies. Just like her skin was a mask that she wore to get cricket where she wanted him. He began to feel very trapped, not understanding how he could be tricked so easily.

Scared of what he had found out about red, he whispered to the great eagle telling him what he had seen. He began to speak to Red about the great eagle, all she would do is lash out at him. The snake knew nothing of the great eagle-like she had said.

Every time he would speak of him, she seemed lost & would continually hiss at him when something wasn’t done to her liking. Three days passed like this, continually breaking crickets’ spirits with every harsh word she would say. He began to weep like never before, wishing he could just go back to who had warmed his heart so long ago. But red kept him locked away from the world watching his every move.

He started with whispers to the great eagle, telling him of his troubles. As the days went by, his whispers grew louder. Until one day as his head hung low with sorrow, the wind carried his sad words to the eagle.

As he slept that night the eagle came to him in a dream, saying, “Cricket I am here but you must be brave. I cannot help you unless you take a leap of faith. Just know that when you make that jump, you’ll land on my wings, and I’ll carry you away with me.” Cricket looked up into the sky watching a cloud turn into a heart & he awoke from his dream crying, being shaken by the snake.

Cricket began to tell red of his dream, only rolling her eyes in disbelief, scolding him once again. He was terrified for he had forgotten how to jump after being locked away for so long.

Thinking of what the eagle had said to him in his dream, he gathered every bit of courage he had and jumped. Jumping higher than he had ever thought possible, the eagle caught him just like he had said he would.

As the eagle carried him home. He told cricket “I will never give up on you. I have given you a light, I need you to shine. Other crickets have forgotten me, go spread your joy with them. Never forget to tell them what I have done for you.” Cricket smiled bigger than ever before.

He arrived home looking for his lady cricket, but she was nowhere to be found. He chirped hoping she would hear him, with nothing but silence greeting his calls. He continually searched for her until he heard her in the distance.

When he finally saw her, he noticed she was warm once again, but her warmth didn’t come from him. Cricket realized she had found warmth without him. His chirp weakened crying uncontrollably, he grew very cold. In hopes of calming him, she grabbed him trying to warm him once again. They swayed for some time holding each other until they had fallen fast asleep.

The next day he awoke to her gone with a hopeful note saying “I will return this evening. Love your lady.” He smiled, feeling as if everything would be ok. He then began whispering to the eagle telling him his worries wondering when, if ever would she return.

After hours went by, he started to become impatient, pacing the floor. He began to feel very disheartened thinking she would never return. Then he heard a whisper back from the eagle, “Be patient cricket, this is one of your greatest strengths. Everything will be fine, but you must be still.” Just as the eagle whispered back, he was startled by the door. It was her, jumping up with joy, he ran into her embrace.

He wanted to tell her everything that he had been through over the past several weeks. So, he began telling her every little detail of what happened with utmost honesty, having faith she would believe him. With every word cricket said, she seemed to become bored. He had a feeling that she didn’t believe him but couldn’t bring himself to stop speaking the truth.

Cricket loved her so much he couldn’t just give half his heart away. With patients, faith, and honesty he began to gain her back. Day after day he persevered, knowing the truth would be what saved him from his own mistakes. He knew this time things had to be different.

He ventured out one day thinking to himself. “I must show her how good the eagle had been to me.” Along the way, he would stop, telling people about the eagle. Very few believed what he had to say but continued on his way with a smile on his face and his head held high. He passed others greeting them with kindness, knowing his joy was contagious.

Through his travels that day he found himself at the edge of a forest. Thinking for some time; he decided to venture into the woods. Scared & unsure he remained brave, having faith the eagle would keep him safe.

He began to walk the path looking into the sky seeing a crow overhead. He watched as the crow come to land on a branch, he paused expecting the crow to speak but no words greeted him. Only a strange feeling as the crows’ eyes followed him.

At first, he thought the crow might be a friend to the eagle, but as he got further down the path the crow began cawing. He stopped waiting to hear words, but nothing came out. Cricket began to whisper to the eagle asking about the crow. Just as he finished whispering, the crow flew away cawing 6 times.

Cricket followed the trail for some time coming to a river, being greeted by a smiling blue jay. As he came to the water's edge, the eagle whispered saying, “Lay here and rest.” He found a comfortable spot to lay his head falling fast asleep with the fading sunlight.

He began to dream he was on the wings of the great eagle, being carried to a field where thousands of crows had gathered. As they passed through the field one by one the crows started flying into the air twisting and turning into dark black creatures.

Cricket then looked at the eagle saying, “Please don’t let me fall into the darkness.” The eagle then replied, “These are not the friends you thought be weary they will bring you nothing but pain and sorrow.” At that moment he realized that red had befriended the crow.

The next morning, he awoke terrified to the sound of the crow cawing at him. Just as he stood a hawk flew down scaring the crow away. The hawk perched on a branch then said to him. “Carry on your way, I’ll keep you from the crow. Make sure your whispers to the eagle never stop and everything will be just fine.”

Cricket went along watching the sun begin to crest over the mountain. The light bringing warmth to his face. He began to feel as if he could do anything with the eagle at his back.

He rushed home as fast as he could wanting to tell his lady what he had seen. Walking through the door he noticed the crow had followed him home. When he started telling her everything, she looked at him in disbelief. Sure of what he had seen he told her to go look at the crow that was outside. When she opened the door, nothing was there but that same smiling blue jay.

He began to think she thought he had lost his marbles. He then said to her, “If you don’t believe me, I’ll take you to the river where I first saw the crow.” She decided to follow him wary of what he had said, but she was growing fond of him again. Thinking she should put her best foot forward.

They reached the edge of the forest with plenty of time to spare. They had ventured about halfway when he spotted 6 crows perched in a dead tree. He stopped, saying, “Look! I told you they would be here.” She rushed him along frightened saying, “Please, let's go home I’m terrified.” He replied, “Do not be afraid the great eagle is watching, he’ll send his friends to keep us safe.”

As they reached the edge of the forest where the river was located, Cricket noticed a small cabin that hadn’t been there before. On the door of the cabin, the number 17 was posted. The cabin itself had 3 windows and 3 doors with a set of 7 steps that led to a small loft.

When they reached the top floor, he began to look around the room noticing a small hole in the wall. He thought to himself for a moment then heard a slight whisper, telling him there was something there for him. Cricket reached in feeling around, he felt a lump of some sort and grabbed it pulling it from the wall.

It was a white rock that seemed to dance in the sunlight. Both looking in awe at what he had found, they started to hear a buzz coming from the distance. They looked out the window seeing ladybugs flying all around. As the cabin became engulfed, Cricket became very faint, falling to the ground.

While he lay there, he began to dream; The eagle came to him saying, “Cricket be selfless, kind, and loving. This is the only way to keep the crows away. I have gifted you this rock, so you know I am always with you. Don’t let the rock out of your sight. Clean the rock as you clean yourself it is important that you do as I instruct.” Just as the eagle finished speaking, he awoke to his lady patiently waiting by his side.

As they left the cabin the blue jay and the hawk greeted them both smiling. The hawk then said to cricket, “Don’t let the crow fool you he has a friend named the vulture they both have many friends. They will try very hard to trick you, you must be careful. We are both here watching over you on your journey, if you need us all you have to do is call.”

Cricket thanked them both, going on his way. Only knowing one thing for sure, that he must do as the eagle wished. The eagle was all he had besides his lady. Seeing the eagle move heaven and earth were enough for cricket not to waver from their friendship.

That night while he slept, he had a dream. Hundreds of dead crickets chased him into the house where he lived, as he got in the house; he slammed the door shut locking it behind him scared of what was coming. He awoke to the haunting sound of the crow cawing at his window.

He walked outside to shew the crow away; as he flew off, Cricket saw hundreds of vultures circling the sky not far from his home. Worried he started to whisper to the eagle walking back into his house. He sat down beginning to paint, whispering while he worked.

As he finished his painting the sunlight graced his window. He began to feel safe; he just knew those soulless birds were gone. When he walked out the front door he was greeted by the hawk. The hawk told him, “See we’re always a call away, now look to the sky cricket.” As he looked up, he saw a thousand sparrows grace the sky.

He started to feel overwhelmed with excitement. He then heard the eagle say to him. “Keep with your works, continually keeping true virtues. I am always with you, do not fear the crow it's one of his only ways to get to you.” After cricket heard the great eagle speak, he fell to his knees crying tears of joy. He knew that he had truly been graced by the eagle.

Cricket knew at this point it would not be easy, because the crow always came at night while he slept, giving him sad and dark dreams. Cricket vowed then he wouldn’t let the crow win. So, each night as he slept, he would beat the crow at his own game. Knowing that there would be a day when he would claim victory in the name of the great eagle.

God Bless

Caleb

Conner

Edmonds