The Bird's Nest and The White Dove

This book for some weird reason I was skeptical as to if I would like it or not which is weird considering Lamplighter Books are SOOO good! Well, my "feelings" were very wrong. What an start to the story I thought of Gabriel and even Gabriel realized that it sound like something he would say because he loves to talk war and battles with his Daddy! I've seen them as I am shopping in Costco in another world as we walk because they are into history and lost to the present world! Anyway, here's an excerpt . . .

One day the father walked with them [his 2 sons] into the woods. It was spring time, and the trees were full of blossom. Here and there a flower lifted its head in the sunshine, and here and there a primrose was peeping from the hedge, and from a branch or thicket might now and then be heard the chirping of the birds. The father showed the children a bird's nest, told them how curiously and carefully it had been built, and interested them about the love the parent birds have for their young, bidding them watch how five tender young things which lay in the neat little nest were fed and nourished by the old ones. The children were very much delighted, and still more so when their father, sitting down on a green mossy bank, beneath the wide-spreading arms of a stately oak, said he would tell them a story.

"Oh do, papa, " said both the children together, "we will sit down here upon the grass. We do love your stories so."

"Yes, my children," he answered, "and glad am I to have such willing listeners.

What shall it be?"

"Tell me about the wars," said one, "tell how brave the soldiers looked, and how gallantly they all behaved; tell us about sieges, and battles, and victories, some good old story of the fighting days gone by." . . . . . "but I love to hear about heroes and conquests, and you don't find heroes among green fields and sheep-walks."

"Are you sure of that?" asked their father. "But Papa is it not a gallant thing to lead an army, to ride upon a grand white horse, as our prince does, and with a long sword by our side, and a gay plume in your cap, ride out at the head of a strong army, to meet the enemies of fatherland? Is it not a gallant thing to lead on your men, and sword in hand to rout the foe? And is it not a pleasant thing to come back amid the blessings of all people, and to hear them telling the story of your courage and daring, and saying he is a true hero? I am sure you cannot doubt, dear papa, the value of all this."

"But my dear child, " the father answered," it is quite possible to be a hero, and to win a great victory, without a fine while horse, and feathered cap, and blade of steel. There are many heroes in the world who who will never wear a cross or star of some grand order, and yet have won more earnest battles than the bravest soldier in the field." What, papa, win a battle without a blow; be a hero without a struggle?"

"No, not without a struggle. What I mean is this, that to act and speak as we ought, is sometimes a greater struggle than to charge at the head of a troop, or command a field battery; and that he who fearlessly does right when there are greater temptations to do wrong, is as true a hero as any soldier that ever carried a sword." "I should like to hear of such a hero, papa."

And so comes the story that had my kids riveted as to how the boy in the story would respond to the difficult situation he found himself in.

Well, now for The White Dove. This book is quite short and is about a little girl that has a brave and vallant father and how this little girl shows love by giving up her most loved possession to a fatherless child and what happened because of that sacrifice. It is a story of self sacrifice, love, and humility. Great story and great lessons.