The Feather of the Owl

Lee Dalton

Review

"I was working in the Interview Area when he came. He was a small one, with tousled black hair and large brown eyes filled with an expression of wonderment, puzzlement, and a touch of worry."
Their meeting began in silence as the receptionist studied the young boy. Then suddenly, the Small One began to speak, the words rolling from his mouth in a country drawl as he told his story.
The sudden death of his mother shattered his tranquility and security. His father, unable to cope with the death of his wife, turned to drink and began to beat and abuse him. To escape, the Small One would take refuge by the spring. His only friends were the animals: the deer, the raccoons, and an owl. Then the old Indian, Clay Dog, befriended him, taught him how to live off the land, and showed him how to build a shelter when there was none.

His life was led toward a new path. Through the wisdom spoken by his Indian friend, a legend would soon become reality for the Small One. The reality—a feather placed gently on his cheek that would lead him to his destiny.

Feather of The Owl is a moving portrayal of the reality of a young boy's hardships mixed with the beauty he found in his escape. You'll feel the sorrow, the empathy and the joy embodied in this tale as the tattered youth carries you through the events of his life, and as he recounts the experiences, which ultimately led him to the Interview Area and the receptionist who was deeply touched by his story. And as inevitably as is the end of life itself, you'll shed tears of joy and join in the resounding shout that echoes in the Great Hall as the poignant tale moves to its eternal conclusion.

Sample Page

I was working in the Interview Area when he came. He was a small one, with tousled black hair and large brown eyes filled with an expression of wonderment, puzzlement, and a touch of worry. Like many of those who come into our care, he seemed a bit bewildered.
His face, like the faces of so many of the small ones, was smudged a bit. I smiled to try to make him feel welcome and motioned him to sit before me. He sat and smiled back—a shy, fleeting smile that only briefly turned up the corners of his mouth and then was replaced quickly by the same solemn line I had first seen.
His clothing was very tattered and seemed to be wet. His hands, which rested folded on his lap as he sat, were stained, and I noticed that they were hardened and worn much beyond his years. When I asked his name, he spoke in a voice so soft I strained to hear. I asked the standard questions as kindly as I could, seeking to put him more at ease, and as he answered, he seemed to relax a little.
I was going to ask him to tell me about himself when I noticed something clinging to his face below his ear on the left side. I reached forward, and his eyes carefully followed the movement of my hand past his face. My fingers grasped the soft object, and I drew it back to look at it. It was a tiny bit of feather from a bird. The Small One's eyes lit with a recognition I couldn't share, and his words of explanation were so quietly spoken I almost missed hearing them. "It's from an owl," he said as though I should understand.
I shook my head to indicate that I didn't, but I sensed that the feather was important to this slightly dirty small one, so I asked him to tell me about it. He began talking, slowly and very quietly at first, with his hands carefully folded in his lap. But as he spoke, he seemed to gain confidence, and his voice rose and fell with the story. His hands began to flutter about as they helped him describe for me the hills and trees and birds and the butterflies and mice of his part of the world.
He spoke with the twang and gentle lilt of the hill country south of my old home. His voice seemed to carry me back through the years, and I could easily picture the places, the people and the animals of which he spoke.
This is the story he told me.

	Order Information

Title: The Feather of the Owl Author: Lee Dalton Retail Price: $6.98 Available: Now ISBN: 0-88290-299-7 Order Number (SKU): 1970 Pages: 82 Size: 5.5" X 8.5" Binding: Paperback