The Crane and the Heron

The Crane and the Heron

An owl, free of care, flew here and flew there, and then happily it lit on a tree. It twirled its tail fast, looked down at the ground and took to the air with never a sound. Now, this is just the little tale before the big tale, and the big tale is still to come.

Once upon a time there lived a crane and a heron who each had a house at the two opposite ends of a swamp. The crane felt very lonely all by himself and decided to get married. “I think I’ll go and ask the heron to marry me,” said he.

Off he went across the swamp, plunkety-plunk, he waded through it for a whole four miles and then there he was at the heron’s doorstep.

                             

“Are you there, Mistress Heron ?” he called.

“Yes, I am !” the heron called back.

“Won’t you marry me, please ?”

“No, Crane, that I won’t !” Your legs are too long and your coat is too short, you are a poor flyer, and you have no food to give me. Go away, Spindly Legs !”

So off the crane went, and he got nothing for his pains. But the heron thought it all over and told herself that it was sad to be without anyone and that she had better marry the crane.

She set out for the crane’s house and when she got there, said, “Do please marry me, Crane !”

“No, Mistress Heron, I want none of you !” the crane replied.

The heron burst out crying she felt so ashamed, and went home. But after a while the crane thought better of what he had done.

“I shouldn’t have refused to marry the heron, life’s such a bore when you’re all alone,” he told himself. “I think I’ll go and marry her right now.”

He was soon at the heron’s doorstep and he said to her:

“I have decided to marry you after all, Mistress Heron. Do say yes.”

“No, Crane, I don’t want you !” said the heron, and she sent him home.

But no sooner was he gone than she was sorry she had done so.

“It’s better to marry the crane than to live all by oneself !” said she.

So she went and told the crane that she was ready to marry him. But this time it was he who would not have her. And they’ve been wooing each other aver since but have never got around to marrying.