The Owl Who Wanted a Fire, and the Man Who Sought His Advice

"I cannot find my awl," I said,

"The owl is in the barn," she said,

"My awl is not an owl and an

owl is not my awl because my

awl is but a tool I use and

owls are not good tools..."

"Unless,

a fool has made a rule that says

‘An owl can be an awl,'

but even

owls, and in fact, other fowls, are

are almost fully sure that they are not the kind of tool that a

fool who made a rule would like to

use instead of all the awls from here to kingdom come!"

So,

because I know my wife, for life

although her speech bemuses, and confuses as a dream might seem,

(I surely know my own mind!) Still, a

jot of time may see me wand'ring, dream'ly far from awl-ish flound'ring,

lost in reveries sudd'nly finding self before the grange's weathered door."

("Now how did I get here?")

Into the dusky byre l shuffled,

into my hearing feathers ruffled,

a squirt of fear, a cry I muffled,

a trembling turn to find the eyes,

above the lintel, not unwise, yet

glowing orbs of scolding fire,

bequeathing vast reserves of ire, yea

Death comes a-scything in one moment ma’er!!

Quoth the barn owl,

'Close the door!'"

"Well, it's cold outside, you see, that's why I'm in this barn, of course you know that already, but I cannot make too much heat myself and you have a fire in your house and---anyway---"

[Owl clears throat]

"You search for something,"

"Yes, my awl,"

"Yes, I see, but why do you need it?"

"To make a new hole, to make a new belt,

with winter, no food, and my flesh doth melt,

the river is frozen, the woods are not rife,

much more than my portion, I give to my wife.

But,

if I've no belt, then my pants will descend,

I will trip when I'm shooting, and blow off an end."

"Yet it seems, Sir Owl, that to hear an owl speak,

I am pressed to assume that your mind is not weak,

(or, my mind may be weak if I think that you speak), Yet I

still do not see how that means you can help me.

Although

you may be wise, and with far-seeing eyes, and your

words are not lies, you may

yet not have sized up the problem I face

from your place in the space o'er the door--for I

Don't think I dropped my awl on the barn floor."

[Owl scowl]

"I can see that your awl is yet not on the floor, of the

barn where you store all the hay until May, but far-

seeing is not only seeing with eyes,

It includes common sense and experience of life. Indeed!

One might find oneself much wiser by three, if one

only had made some mistakes, don't you see?"

"All this notwithstanding, I don't need experience,

or planning, or far-seeing wisdom, or such. The

signs are so clear, there's no reason for pedantry, 'tis

so elementary we'll not ask the gentry, a

blessing to thieves if we call in gendarmerie, so

plain, e'en children could answer your enquiry!"

“Oh Lord, I feel like I’ve known it for weeks! (what and

where is the mischievous item you seek).

You’re convinced it eludes you on purpose, with glee, therefore,

as you think thus, it will still seem to flee.

Have some

faith and remember life ain’t out to get you.

But since

your understanding is short, and it frets you, I

wish not to cause you more pain by delaying, so then

I will not wait any longer in saying:

"The awl is in your hand!"

[Shocked silence, then a grunt of frustration]

[Door slamming roughly with a squeak and a rattle]

"Oh and do come back sometime-- I have enjoyed this little chat. And could you maybe put a wood stove in here? It's awfully drafty. Goodbye, say hello to your wife for me!"

[Fading sound of footsteps in snow]

[Owl cogitating]

Interesting fellow, I like him. I daresay, though, he might be well-served to listen a bit more often to his wife.