Pelican Tales:WindSinger Wssssssshhhh

Pelican Tales:WindSinger Wssssssshhhh
by
Robin Hall


Most folks don't seem to notice wind all that much. Big winds, little winds, are all the same unless its tornadoes, monsoons, hurricanes, or himmicanes for the politically correct. Say, what does politics have to do with wind? Heh, heh. Lots of those politicians are windy indeed. Many other Floridians are windy, politicians or not. Cows are blamed for being so windy they are upsetting the ozone layer. Hippopotamuses, dogs, platypuses, gnus and orangutans are also windy and I suspect cats are windy. Well, I say nuts to that. Er, this is pretty silly so I will get on with the story.


As you can imagine, most any real wind plays a big part in the lives of pelicans. AwwAww's group was very lucky in this matter to have a master WindSinger, Wssssssshhhh. A WindSinger's job is very important so let's just go back a bit in time and learn about Wssssssshhhh and her earlier years. Just get comfortable, relax, close your eyes, listen, Imagine...


In the Dark Before Time, pelicans were just another plain bird among the many species. They were even food for some of the larger birds. They wandered about in small groups just trying to survive. There were many losses. The groups learned numerous hard lessons.


Over the eons however, something happened to the gathering. Perhaps it was their chosen food that had just the right nutrients. Perhaps there was genetic change from random sun rays. Perhaps there were some other reasons. The glorious Change happened whatever the cause, a change not unlike that of other groups. Whereas before there was only chaos, the Light of reason came to pelicans. They had choices to make, as we all do.


Pelicans already had the wonderful gift of flight. It was enough really but they worked hard and chose the pursuit of beauty as their other main purpose. Within this choice there were and are even now, hundreds of more choices. Today, AwwAww is most beauty conscious. Owwa is First Sounder whose exquisite tunes keep the flock together flying in sync, calling them to rest at night, praising them and reminding them who they are. The beautiful Eayawa, Dream Leader, watches over the wonderful ritual of Dream Sharing.


Other forms of beauty are pursued as well, even completely new forms, which brings to Wssssssshhhh. She was born 5 years ago, a rather plain little bird. Nothing unusual really. Another mouth to feed. A fine member of the group of course but that was all. Sometimes the plain members of any group take their own time, dance and sing to a different drummer or make their own music and sing that.


Wssssssshhhh. Her name was strange, like a whisper of wind in the sea grapes. Wssssssshhhh. Wssssssshhhh.


When Wssssssshhhh was quite small her parents and flight instructor, the powerful Waaaaaaaann, noticed that Wssssssshhhh did have quite a knack for flying. She learned very quickly for one thing. Not all that unusual but there was more. Wssssssshhhh could float longer than any bird in memory. She was somewhat small of course but Waaaaaaaann noticed that Wssssssshhhh also had a much longer wing span than other youngsters. Some of the feathers were placed differently as well and were smoother. Odd, but no one thought much of it for a while.


Other traits showed up over time though. Wssssssshhhh could somehow sense when a big wind was coming. Even the elders began to pay attention when one day she sounded frantically and called the group to shelter. A great storm no one had known about hit very quickly but the flock was saved many losses due to this small young bird.


The group also noticed things like Wssssssshhhh's ability to take off more quickly than others. She could soar for hours and knew just which air currents to follow like she could see the wind itself. Wssssssshhhh could see the wind and more. She could hear it and she could sing to it and change its course, if ever so slightly, which brings us back to today.


Wssssssshhhh, WindSinger, sails the winds like the master she has become. She watches her flock in flight and on the ground. In flight, she guides them through the air currents, finds the right updrafts to save them energy and leads them in patterns of splendor while Owwa sounds the beat.


On the ground, she watches the weather and warns the group of storms and winds so all may be safe.


Wssssssshhhh, WindSinger, flies alone too. She flies faster and farther than any pelican ever has with her friend the Wind. The two sing songs to each other. Songs of beauty, songs of speed, songs of distant places and times. WindSinger Wssssssshhhh moves with the grace of a cloud and the speed of a hawk.


WindSinger Wssssssshhhh, master of the beauty of FLIGHT and friend of Wind sails high and far and back never tiring, awe inspiring Wssssssshhhh WindSinger moving through the air as a dolphin in the sea. WindSinger Wssssssshhhh. Look, there she is. Wssssssshhhh. Wssssssshhhh. Wssssssshhhh flying in your own thoughts too. Just imagine yourself in her flock of pelicans sailing far and wide, singing to the wind, seeing the currents, floating for hours.


Return to your place now. Stretch, yawn. Slowly open your eyes. Smile. Remember FLIGHT master, WindSinger Wssssssshhhh. Come back to her another time. Bring your own tales of beauty. Sail with Wssssssshhhh when you wishhhhhh...