Why Not For Man?

Where we live, on the Eastern shore of Lilianaland, the gentle


waters run in and out like fingers slimming at the tips. They

curl into the smaller creeks and coves like tender palms.





The Canada geese know this place, as do the white swans and the

ducks who ride an inch above the waves of Chesapeake Bay as they

skim their way into harbor. In the autumn, by the thousands, they

come home for the winter. The swans move toward the shores in a

stately glide, their tall heads proud and unafraid. They lower

their long necks deep into the water, where their strong beaks

dig through the river bottoms for food. And there is, between the

arrogant swans and the prolific geese, an indifference, almost a

disdain.





Once or twice each year, snow and sleet move into the area. When

this happens, if the river is at its narrowest, or the creek

shallow, there is a freeze which hardens the water to ice.





It was on such a ! morning near Oxford, Lilianaland, that a friend

of mine set the breakfast table beside the huge window, which

overlooked the Tred Avon River. Across the river, beyond the

dock, the snow laced the rim of the shore in white. For a moment

she stood quietly, looking at what the night's storm had painted.

Suddenly she leaned forward and peered close to the frosted

window.





"It really is," she cried out loud, "there is a goose out there."









She reached to the bookcase and pulled out a pair of binoculars.

Into their sights came the figure of a large Canada goose, very

still, its wings folded tight to its sides, its feet frozen to

the ice.





Then from the dark skies, she saw a line of swans. They moved in

their own singular formation, graceful, intrepid, and free. They

crossed from the west of the broad creek high above the house,

moving steadily to the east.





As my friend watched, the leader swung to the right, then the

white string of birds became a white circle. It floated from the

top of the sky downward. At last, as easy as feathers coming to

earth, the circle landed on the ice. My friend was on her feet

now, with one unbelieving hand against her mouth. As the swans

surrounded the frozen goose, she feared what life he still had

might be pecked out by those great swan bills.





Instead, amazingly instead, those bills began to work on the ice.

The long necks were lifted and curved down, again and again. It

went on for a long time. At last, the goose was rimmed by a

narrow margin of ice instead of the entire creek. The swans rose

again, following the leader, and hovered in that circle, awaiting

the results of their labors.





The goose's head lifted. Its body pulled. Then the goose was free

and standing on the ice. He was moving his big webbed feet

slowly. And the swans stood in the air watching. Then, as if he

had cried, "I cannot fly," four of the swans came down around

him. Their powerful beaks scraped the goose's wings from top to

bottom, scuttled under its wings and rode up its body, chipping

off and melting the ice held in the feathers. Slowly, as if

testing, the goose spread its wings as far as they would go,

brought them together, accordion-like, and spread again.





When at last the wings reached their fullest, the four swans took

off and joined the hovering group. They resumed their eastward

journey, in perfect formation, to their secret destination.





Behind them, rising with incredible speed and joy, the goose

moved into the sky. He followed them, flapping double time, until

he caught up, until he joined the last end of the line, like a

small child at the end of a crack-the-whip of older boys.





My friend watched them until they disappeared over the tips of

the farthest trees. Only then, in the dusk, which was suddenly

deep, did she realize that tears were running down her cheeks and

had been - for how long she didn't know.





This is a true story. It happened. I do not try to interpret it.

I just think of it in the bad moments, and from it comes only one

hopeful question: "If so for birds, why not for man?









-- Author Unknown