Rainbow Raven

When Baby was old enough to be put in her very own bed, she cried. It wasn’t as warm as Momma, and Baby was lonely. Where was the heartbeat that sang Baby to sleep? Where were the hands that held and soothed? Where was the voice that murmured and cooed?

Baby cried for a while, even though she was tired. Then she heard a soft voice whisper in her ear, “Baby, hush and close your eyes. Come find me.” When Baby did, instead of the dark she expected, she saw a bird flying toward her, covered in swirling bright colors, every color there could possibly be.

All those colors, swirling without stopping, would have made a grown-up dizzy and look away from the bird. But Baby found them fascinating and watched as the bird flew ever closer until it landed on her bed.

“You found me,” said the bird. “I am Rainbow Raven.”

Baby smiled and eagerly reached out to touch the bird. Instead of flying away like an ordinary bird would, Rainbow Raven simply whispered, “Come”. He stretch out his very large wings and Baby was suddenly on his back. When he started to flap them up and down, they started to fly away together. Baby was startled, but when Rainbow Raven turned his head around and winked at Baby, she suddenly knew they were going to have fun together.

And they did. Rainbow Raven took Baby up into the fluffy clouds, which turned into cooling mists of white and gray. Rainbow Raven flew low over fields and forests, stopping to introduce Baby to some of the animals that lived there. Rainbow Raven and Baby soared out over the ocean and watched waves grow and tumble as they reached the shore.

Then long before Baby was ready for the ride to end, Rainbow Raven flew back to Baby’s bed, just in time for Momma to reach down and pick Baby up. Baby was happy to see Momma again, and as Rainbow Raven vanished, she didn’t notice that where her hands had touched him his colors began to fade and turn black.

The next time Baby was put in her very own bed, she didn’t cry for nearly as long before she closed her eyes to look for Rainbow Raven. And there he was again, just like before, ready to fly off with Baby on a new adventure. Again, he brought her back just before Momma came to pick her up. And again, a little bit of his color faded away to black.

Baby no longer cried when she was put in her own bed, but quickly closed her eyes and found Rainbow Raven. They went on many adventures together, visiting all kinds of wonderful new places and sometimes familiar favorite places.

One day she almost couldn’t see Rainbow Raven as he flew up to land on her bed. He was nearly all black, with just a tiny patch of swirling colors left. Baby had been having so much fun, she hadn’t really noticed the change, like you and I would. After all, she was just a little baby.

But when Raven asked her, “Are you ready for our last ride?” she started to cry. She never wanted their rides to end. Instead of eagerly reaching towards him, she asked, “Where are all your pretty colors? What happened to you?”

Raven hopped toward her and hugged her with his black wings. “My colors have all gone to you, Baby. Every time we have gone for a ride, I have given a little of them to you. They are all still inside you. They are called ‘dreams’ and you will still have them after I am gone, every time you close your eyes and sleep.”

Cheered a little by this, Baby stopped crying. “I will?’ she asked Raven.

“Yes, you will,” answered Raven. “I promise.”

“Forever?” asked Baby.

“Forever,” agreed Raven. “Now, are you ready for our last ride?”

Baby reached for Raven one last time, and off they flew. It was their best ride ever. When they got back to Baby’s bed, Raven was so black that Baby couldn’t even see him as he flew away. But when she opened her eyes, there was Momma, smiling, reaching for her.