Wings of Hope: The Dove's Secret Message

A famous political prisoner, incarcerated during the war, was held in a notorious prison. Distressed by solitude and the distance from his homeland, he began to write about his circumstances. It is better to let the prisoner himself tell the story:

The prisoner says, "In the period of my confinement, though I was deprived of all human companionship, there were three things that provided me great comfort. What were those three things? One was a dove, another was a mouse, and the third, was a fly.

I first saw the dove one day, flying near the roof outside my cell. To attract it, I placed some pieces of bread by the window. It came, ate the bread, and flew away. From that moment, I knew it would come back to this window again, and my guess proved right, for it returned many times after that. I made sure to keep food ready for it, and it would visit at least once or twice during the day. Our companionship grew, and it became so familiar to me that it would sit in my hand. Every morning and evening, when the dawn or dusk would bloom, it would appear. If the window was ever closed, it would tap on it with its beak, signaling its wish to come inside. Sometimes, I would notice a glimpse of sadness in its innocent eyes, perhaps it was moved by my helplessness. But often, joy filled its gaze, as it would chirp happily upon entering the window... ho-ho-ho...

And when I gently stroked its wings, it seemed delighted. Gradually, this friendship deepened to the point that it would enter my room and settle on the table or the cot.

One day, a thought crossed my mind: why not use it as a messenger pigeon? I took one of its fallen feathers, fashioned it into a pen, and used a few drops of blood from my arm as ink. I wrote a short note on a piece of paper and tied it around its neck.

The note read: 'This letter has been written by a prisoner in such-and-such prison. If possible, please reply via this dove. I need fine paper and a pencil, Prisoner Number: 444.'

The dove took the letter and flew away. I waited eagerly for its return by evening, but despite long hours of anticipation, it didn’t come back. Anxiety and concern gripped my heart; I feared my letter had brought harm to it.

That night passed in great unease. When dawn broke, I heard the familiar tap on my window, a sound I knew too well. I opened the window and let my "messenger" in. Around its neck, I found another letter, different from mine. I eagerly opened it. Inside was a small pouch tied with a silk ribbon. The note read:

'Your letter was received via the dove. It lives on the roof of our house with its chicks. I am sending you a pencil, paper, a little tea, and some sugar, as I understand these things are scarce in your prison. May God be your helper. My prayers are with you. From the heart, I pray for your "freedom."'

The dove, with its simple yet profound message, had brought not only a reply but a connection that transcended the walls of the prison, a symbol of hope and solidarity.