Hapenny Magick (18 page)
Gannon pulled a white feather from his robe and twirled it between his fingers before settling it in Kieran's hand. He picked up the braided tail of his beard. “A bird of flight, the color of light. To ease your loneliness⦔
As the wizard closed his eyes to the world, the feather hovered above. Slowly it transformed into a pure white raven and perched on Kieran's outstretched arm. Eyes as blue as sapphires peered at Kieran, with the same wizened gaze that he had often received from his friend. Kieran gave a tearful chuckle, knowing the kind spirit of the old wizard was near.
Many years passed in the cottage of Kieran and his white raven, but one winter night when the moon was full and bright, the raven flew deep into the forest. He did not return the next dawn, or at noon, or at supper. Just as Kieran began to worry that he would never see his friend again, a knock sounded at the cottage door. When Kieran turned the latch, a small and ragged child stood in the shadow of the doorway.
“Please, sir,” the little boy begged. “Could you spare a crust of bread?”
With gentle hands, Kieran pulled a white feather from the boy's curly locks. Twirling it between his fingers, he smiled. “I can do better than that.”
Illustrations by Linda Ravenscroft
www.lindaravenscroft.com
About the illustrator
Patricia Ann Lewis-MacDougall started drawing as soon as she could hold a pencil and filled every blank spot in her mother's cook books by the age of three. She now tells stories with her love of drawing and has illustrated children's books and created storyboards for television animation for shows such as Little Bear and Franklin the Turtle. Pat Ann lives in Stoney Creek, Ontario. Visit her online at:
About the Author
Jennifer Carson lives in New Hampshire with her husband, four sons and many furred and feathered friends. She grew up on a steady diet of Muppet movies and Renaissance faires and would occasionally be caught reading under the blankets with a flashlight. Besides telling tales, Jennifer likes to create fantasy creatures and characters and publishes her own sewing patterns. Her artwork and patterns can be seen online at: