Two Little Cardinals

The following is a short story I wrote. It's primary audience is children, however I think there is a lot of deeper meanings that many adults may have to dig for. This is essentially a parable of the Christ. I would greatly appreciate any feedback, thoughts, suggestions or questions.

Once there were two little cardinals. They were happy birds who were very excited about building a nest together. They found a tree that looked very nice. It had thick, sturdy branches, big, green leaves and rough, brown bark. The two little cardinals were just certain this would be a good place to build their first nest.

They started gathering twigs and strings for their nest, but no sooner than they had placed the first little twig for their nest, that mean old North Wind blew it away! He blew every twig for their nest away. The two little cardinals tried another branch of the tree, but the mean old North Wind found them there too! The two little cardinals could not build a nest in this tree! It was much too windy for them. With much sadness, they flew out of the tree and into the mean old North wind.

The mean old North Wind chased them away to another tree. And what a tree it was! It was bigger than the old tree. It had thicker and sturdier branches. It had bigger and greener leaves. It had rougher and darker bark. It even had bright red berries with little yellow spots! This tree would be perfect! This tree would be the best place to build their first nest!

They went right to work at building their nest. They worked so hard that they became very hungry. The two little cardinals decided it was time for a snack! So, they plucked a few of the bright red berries with little yellow spots and ate them. But no sooner than they took their first little nibble, those bright red berries with the little yellow spots made their tummies hurt! They spit them out right away. These were not good berries, they were poisonous! The two little cardinals could not build their first nest here! The berries would make their little chicks very sick! With much sadness, they flew out of the tree and back into the mean old North Wind.

This time that mean old North Wind blew them to tree full of other birds. The two little cardinals were happy about this! They would have a lot of friends in this new tree. But when they tried to build their nest in the new tree full of other birds, they could not! The other birds would not let them into the tree! They were very mean birds and flew in big circles around the tree to keep other birds out. These other birds were no friends. They were mean and scary! The two little cardinals knew that this would not be a good place to build their first nest. With much sadness, they flew away from the tree and back into the mean old North Wind.

That mean old North Wind blew the two little cardinals all over the world. The two little cardinals could never find a spot where he could not reach them. One day, as they were flying away from the mean old North Wind, they found an old, gnarled, ugly tree on the top of a stony hill. This was the last tree in the world. But would it be a good place to build their first nest? It did not have any leaves. The wood was grey and weathered. The bark was thin and peeling off in places. There were just a few twisted branches. The top of the tree was all thorny and at the bottom of the tree there was a pile of white bones! This tree was scary, but it was the only place left for the two little cardinals. They found a little knothole in one of the twisted branches of the tree and started building their nest. This was the perfect place for their first nest! Deep down in the knot hole, the mean old North Wind could not reach them. He howled and howled in anger, but he could never blow them out of the cozy little knothole. The two little cardinals lived in this Gnarled Old Tree for a long time and were very happy in the little knothole.

One day the mean old North Wind did a terrible thing. He got all the other birds from the tree and together they pushed on the Old Gnarled Tree. The other birds pecked at the Gnarled Old Tree while the mean old North Wind blew with all his might. He blew so hard that he even blew to sun out of the sky! The two little cardinals knew that they were safe down in their little knothole, but they were afraid! The other birds pecked and pecked at the Gnarled Old Tree. They pecked so hard that they made a big hole in the side of the Gnarled Old Tree. And all the while the mean old North Wind blew harder and harder.

After a long time the Gnarled Old Tree started to sway. Finally, with a great snap and a tremendous quaking that shook the whole world, the Gnarled Old Tree was uprooted! The old pile of bones was broken up and the rocky hill was no more! But the two little cardinals were still safe in their little knot hole.

But, what kind of a tree would this be for building their first nest in? The Gnarled Old Tree was lying flat on the ground. The two little cardinals were so sad that they cried great big, salty tears. With much sadness, they flew out of their little knot hole, out of the twisted branch of the Gnarled Old Tree and into the mean old North Wind.

They flew and flew for three days without resting. There were no trees left for them to build their first nest in. They were so sad and exhausted that they finally decided that it would be better to stay with their Gnarled Old Tree than to never have any place to stay at all.

But, when the two little cardinals flew back to their beloved Gnarled Old Tree, it was not there! There was a tall, straight, strong tree standing where the Gnarled Old Tree had stood. This Strong Tree was covered in bright green leaves that glimmered like emeralds. And instead of a thorny top, it was covered in big, white blossoms that smelled like sweet honey. Instead of a pile of scary bones at the bottom, this Strong Tree had a wonderfully clear fountain that gurgled with pure water. Instead of standing on a rocky hill, this Strong Tree stood in the middle of a field of the most lovely, golden wheat the two little cardinals had ever seen. This Strong Tree was also covered in fruit. The fruit was bright red and had the sweetest juice the two little cardinals had ever tasted. Not at all like the red berries with little yellow spots. And this Strong Tree was filled with other birds, but not like the mean birds that had pecked a hole in the side of the Gnarled Old Tree. These birds were friends! They loved the two little cardinals and invited them in to make their home in the Strong Tree.

This Strong Tree would really be the perfect tree for the two little cardinals. It had all they needed! Delicious fruit and wheat to eat and the purest water to bathe in and drink. Oh, this Strong Tree would be a good place to raise their chicks, but the two little cardinals still missed the Gnarled Old Tree, with the little knot hole that kept them safe from the mean old North Wind. They told their new friends about how great the Gnarled Old Tree was. The other birds started laughing! They told the two little cardinals that this Strong Tree was the same as the Gnarled Old Tree! It had the same little knot holes and even the hole in the side that the mean birds made. The two little cardinals could not believe this was the same tree, but there, in a branch that used to be twisted, was their knothole with their nest!

What joy filled the hearts of the two little cardinals! Finally, they had a place to build their first nest and raise their chicks. The most perfect place for their first nest! In the safe little knothole where the mean old North Wind could not reach them.

That mean old North Wind came back from time to time. He tried his hardest to shake the Strong Tree, but it never swayed. Sometimes the other birds would fly away in fear when the mean old North Wind blew, but not the two little cardinals. They knew that nothing could reach them in their little knothole. And they lived, safe and sound, in that little knothole, and they raised many chicks in their first little nest and they loved the Strong Tree and it loved them!