The robin - a tale for Easter

Short adaptation of a legend by Selma Lagerlöf

by Ruth Salles

Photo by Mario Gomes

This happened at the time when the Lord, having created heaven and earth, created animals and plants alike, giving them the names they still retain.

Now, he was one day in his heavenly paradise, painting the little birds, when suddenly the idea of making a little gray bird came to him.

“His name is robin,” he said, as soon as he had finished. And placing it in the palm of his hand, he let it fly.

The little bird, after testing for some time the effectiveness of its wings and seeing some beautiful things that already existed in the world, was curious to see itself. Then he looked at himself in the gleaming mirror of the lake and saw that it was entirely gray. Tossing and turning, he couldn't find a single red stain on the feathers. So he went in search of the Creator.

His heart was pounding in fear; but despite that, it flew in graceful curves closer and closer to him, until at last it landed in his hand.

- What it was? – asked the Creator.

– Sir, why was I given the name of robin, when I am all gray, from beak to the tip of my tail? I don't even have a single red mark on my feathers.

“Your name is a robin, yes, but I've decided that you yourself must try to earn the red feathers you wish to have on your chest.

So answered the Creator and, waving his hand, let the bird fly once more into the world.
The gray bird came down from Paradise not knowing how to earn the red feathers. It was so tiny, and all it knew how to make was a nest.

He built it in a corner of the woods, in the wild rose bush, among the thorns, giving the impression of waiting for a flower petal to come to hang in his throat, coloring it in this way.
Countless years passed, until a new day dawned, which will forever be remembered in the history of the world.

That morning, outside the walls of Jerusalem, a robin was singing to its young, who were resting in their nest in the briar that grew on a hill. Chirping, he told of the wonderful day of Creation and of the linnets' attempts to earn the red spot. The first ones thought that the love they felt for their mate and the cubs would give them the desired color. What nothing! The following sang with such fervor that the heat of their singing, swelling their hearts within their chests, would surely give them the desired color. What nothing! The new generations of robins, fighting with other birds for the defense of the nest, thought that bravery in the fight and pride in victories would give them the desired color. What nothing!

The puppies, hearing everything, twittered, saying:

– And what can we do then, besides love, sing and fight?

The robins' singing suddenly ceased. For, through one of the gates of Jerusalem, a great number of people were coming out, heading for the hill where the nest was. There were riders on their horses, soldiers with spears, executioners with nails and hammers. There were priests and judges, women crying and, what was worse, a mob of tramps running and screaming. The poor little gray bird began to tremble on the edge of the nest, fearing that at any moment the briar would be crushed and, with it, its young.

- Be careful - he shouted to the helpless birds - lie down and be silent! A horse is coming towards us and a wild crowd!

Instantly, the robin stopped his cries of alarm and fell silent. He seemed to have forgotten the danger that threatened him. Finally, it jumped into the nest and spread its wings over the chicks.

– Oh, how horrible this is! - He said - I don't want you to witness this tremendous spectacle. There are three convicts there who are going to be crucified.

And he spread his wings so far that the little birds could see nothing else. With the robin, however, terror dilated his eyes.

- How cruel are human beings - he commented after some time - because it is not enough for them to nail those poor people to the cross, but they still nailed a crown of thorns to the head of one of them. Blood is running down his forehead. And he is such a handsome man after all... He casts such compassionate glances around him that everyone should love him deeply. Seeing your suffering, I feel as if a dart has pierced my heart. Ah, if I were my sister, the eagle, I would take the nails from your hands and, with mighty claws, attack your executioners.

Seeing the blood dripping from the forehead of the crucified, the robin said to himself:

“Although small and weak, I must do something.

And he flew towards the cross, making wide circles without daring to come any closer. Then, realizing that the people did not notice him, he approached little by little, until, with his beak, he was able to remove the thorn that was buried deeper in the poor man's forehead. As he did so, a drop of blood fell onto his chest and quickly spread, flooding and coloring the light, fine feathers.

The crucified man then parted his lips and muttered:

– Thanks to your compassion, you have achieved what your entire species has been trying to achieve since the creation of the world.

When the little bird returned to the nest, the chicks called out:

- You have a red chest! The feathers are as red as the roses!

"It was but a drop of blood from a poor man's forehead," said the robin, "and it will disappear as soon as I bathe in the pond or in the waters of the well.

However, as much as the bird bathed, the red color did not disappear. When the chicks grew up, the red spot also appeared on their chest and neck feathers, as it is to this day on the chest and neck of all robins.

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