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December 21, 1989 - Blackie's Christmas Fable, Part Two614 The Suffolk Times • December 21, 1989 Blackie's Christmas Fable, Part Two By Paul Stoutenburgh As you remember, there was this very poor family that lived in the woods and the little boy had a pet crow. Both he and his sister raised it from the time it had fallen out of its nest. They called the crow Blackie. Christmas was com- ing and things looked pretty bleak for the little boy and girl, for their family had little money for presents. We left the story off after they had gotten a Christmas tree out in the woods and set it up in the house. Now to understand this story you have to know something about crows. One of the things all crows enjoy, and we don't know exactly why, is picking up shiny objects and collecting them just like a pirate collects treasures. Sometimes they pick up shells, or pieces of metal or colored glass. Anything could interest them and add to their treasure chest. As you know, it was getting pretty cold and Blackie had to stay in the barn all by himself. Every morning the little boy would get up and go to the barn with his dog, Flicka, and feed Blackie. Sometimes when it was real cold he'd have to chop a hole in the ice bucket so Blackie could drink from it. Then after breakfast he and his sister would go through the woods to school which was down in the village. Many times Blackie would fly along after them and when they got to school he would sit on the windowsill outside their classroom and wait there until they came out. Sometimes he'd play ball when the kids came out for recess time. He'd fly about trying to catch the ball, Focus on Nature but it was too big for him to grab. Blackie Spots Something Well, the day before Christmas school vacation, Blackie followed the children through the woods to school as he had often done before and sat at his usual place on the windowsill outside their classroom. Later in the day, while he was looking around, something caught his eye right in front of the school along the edge of the road. Well, you already know that crows just can't resist shiny things, so he flew over to what he thought would be a new addition to his treasure. What could it be? It was like nothing else he'd ever seen. It even made an odd tick -tick- ticking noise and when he picked it up and turned it over he saw a little hand moving around each time it ticked. It was a gold watch and chain. Blackie picked up the watch and flew back to his favorite perch outside the window. He put it down and admired his new -found treasure. Just then the school bell rang and all the kids ran out to go home, including the little boy and girl. So Blackie flew down to meet them and in his excitement to see them he com- pletely forgot about the watch and headed home with them. Halfway there Blackie suddenly realized he hadn't shown the children his treasure so he turned around and flew back for it. The little girl asked where he'd gone and we carry over 300 gift items, includin PURPLE MARTIN HOUSES BIRD BATH HEATER Attract even more birds with water FULL LINE OF BINOCULARS TELY SQUIRREL -PROOF FEEDERS The Birdwatcker's Companion North Road, (County Road 48), Southold 765 -5872 Open every day 10 -5 (Sunday 12 -5) • Closed Wednesday BLACKIE THE CHRISTMAS CROW why he had headed back to school and the boy said, "Oh, he probably saw something. No matter; he'll catch up." And on they went back home. A Hopeless Situation When the two children got home they had chores to do. The boy had to bring in firewood and the girl had to help in the kitchen. By now the Christmas tree was all decorated with pretty balls and lights just as every Christmas tree should be. The house was alive with wonderful smells and the spirit of Christmas was everywhere. Secretly the children had talked about what they should do for their mother and father for Christmas, but with no money things looked pretty hopeless and now it was only three days away. That night when the father came home from delivering wood in the vil- lage he told of the big news in town. The mayor, who they thought was the richest man in all the country, had lost his gold watch and put out a reward of $20 for anyone who found it. For a moment the little boy thought he might go into town to look for it. That would solve their problem of getting some- thing for their parents. But where would he start looking? It seemed hopeless and besides, by now probably s.,.:teone had found the gold watch anyway. The little boy and girl lay in bed thinking of all Fishermen's Forum RIVERHEAD —The 1990 annual Long Island Commercial Fishermen's Forum and Exposition will be held Jan. 12 and 13 at the Suffolk County Com- munity College Eastern Campus. Issues important to the commercial fishing in- dustry will continue to be the focus of this year's program. Workshops on private and public aquaculture are scheduled, as well as a three -day program on fishing vessel safety. A question- and - answer format is planned with the guest speakers. The Forum is coordinated by Cornell Cooperative Extension Suffolk County Marine Program. For further informa- tion call 727 -3910. Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh sorts of ways of making money, but who would hire a little boy and girl? None of their ideas really seemed to help and so they fell asleep with thoughts and dreams of the coming Christmas. Next morning when the little boy went out to feed Blackie his eyes caught something shiny way up on the beam where Blackie had roosted that night. "What could that be? It looks like a chain and it's so bright. I never saw that up there before. I'll have to get a ladder and climb up there," he thought. Slowly... ever so slowly he started up. It was very high, and when finally he reached the top he couldn't believe his eyes. There was a gold watch! So that was what Blackie had gone back for! He must have found the mayor's watch. Now the children could collect the re- ward and use it for Christmas. "Oh, Blackie, thanks to you we'll have a wonderful Christmas now!" Sharing the Secret He rushed into the house and got hold of his sister and went upstairs where no one would hear them. He told her the good news and, of course, you can see why he didn't want his parents to know. Now they would have enough money to buy Christmas presents. But first they had to go to town to collect the reward, so they made up a story and told their mother they had been invited to a noon -day Christmas party. That was all right with Mother, provided they were home before dark. Besides it looked like it might snow again. In town they went straight to the mayor's house. He was delighted to see his old watch again. He told them he would polish it up for Christmas and now it would have special meaning to him. He gave each one of the children a new $10 bill. How happy that made them! Now if you were that little boy or girl and you had $10 to buy your mother and father a Christmas present, what do you think you might buy them to make their Christmas something very special? Merry Christmas. . 1 :. . - .. +Eat •'.' •'. "...'. r ":: s ►.