What do you want on your tombstone, and why?
It was a very tiny hole that she had dug, barely more than the span of her hand in breadth, and twice that in depth. But it would do. "Here you are, dear," she said softly, speaking to her son, but also to the tiny, still form that he held in his hands. "Are you sure that you want to do this, 'Miri? Because I can."
Faramir Took shook his head. He had found the little red bird lying on its side beneath the gooseberry bush that morning. It was the first time that he had ever seen anything that had died, and at first he had not understood why it would not move. The little bird had just shown up one day, bold as can be, and taken up residence in their garden as if they'd planted it just for him. Faramir used to take bring it seed cakes and fruit every morning, and the bird had become so tame that it would actually alight on his finger and take the treats right from his palm. When he'd found the bird that morning, he'd thought that it was sleeping and would not wake up. Finally he had run to get his mother, and it was left to Diamond to have to tell him the sad news that the little red bird had died.
Of course Faramir didn't understand. How could he? "This is just the wee birdie's body," she told him. "But the bird's spirit isn't here. Close your eyes. Listen. Do you hear the wind and the other bird's singing? And just there...do you hear your Da whistling that merry tune as he's walking up the lane? You can't see him, but he's still there all the same. That's life, Faramir. It's always there, for ever and ever, even when you can't see it. Your Da, and me, and all the people who love you will always be there forever too, even when you can't see us. The birdie's body didn't really mean anything in the end. It was just like a pretty mask he put on so that he could come and play with you a while. And now he's taken off that mask and put on another and he's off singing somewhere still."
"Another body?" Faramir asked.
"Maybe," she replied. She reached over and tousled his hair. "Or maybe something even more fabulous! I truly don't know. But I do know that our little friend is having a grand time of it, where ever he is now. And he doesn't need this little mask any more, so let's do him the honor of laying it here in this good earth beneath this bush that he loved to play in." She watched as her son put the bird gently down into his grave, and then together they put in handfuls of dirt until the hole was quite filled in again. "Do you want to say goodbye to him?" she asked her son when they were finished.
He wasn't looking at the grave. Diamond followed his gaze and saw that he was looking up into the branches of the trees, as if checking if the little bird had come back to him already. "We sure had fun! Maybe I'll see you again one day," Faramir said.
Diamond felt a bittersweet pang in her heart, but still she smiled. What memorial would she want for herself? Shed no tears for Diamond Took. She had a great life. She's having one still. That would do.
Faramir Took shook his head. He had found the little red bird lying on its side beneath the gooseberry bush that morning. It was the first time that he had ever seen anything that had died, and at first he had not understood why it would not move. The little bird had just shown up one day, bold as can be, and taken up residence in their garden as if they'd planted it just for him. Faramir used to take bring it seed cakes and fruit every morning, and the bird had become so tame that it would actually alight on his finger and take the treats right from his palm. When he'd found the bird that morning, he'd thought that it was sleeping and would not wake up. Finally he had run to get his mother, and it was left to Diamond to have to tell him the sad news that the little red bird had died.
Of course Faramir didn't understand. How could he? "This is just the wee birdie's body," she told him. "But the bird's spirit isn't here. Close your eyes. Listen. Do you hear the wind and the other bird's singing? And just there...do you hear your Da whistling that merry tune as he's walking up the lane? You can't see him, but he's still there all the same. That's life, Faramir. It's always there, for ever and ever, even when you can't see it. Your Da, and me, and all the people who love you will always be there forever too, even when you can't see us. The birdie's body didn't really mean anything in the end. It was just like a pretty mask he put on so that he could come and play with you a while. And now he's taken off that mask and put on another and he's off singing somewhere still."
"Another body?" Faramir asked.
"Maybe," she replied. She reached over and tousled his hair. "Or maybe something even more fabulous! I truly don't know. But I do know that our little friend is having a grand time of it, where ever he is now. And he doesn't need this little mask any more, so let's do him the honor of laying it here in this good earth beneath this bush that he loved to play in." She watched as her son put the bird gently down into his grave, and then together they put in handfuls of dirt until the hole was quite filled in again. "Do you want to say goodbye to him?" she asked her son when they were finished.
He wasn't looking at the grave. Diamond followed his gaze and saw that he was looking up into the branches of the trees, as if checking if the little bird had come back to him already. "We sure had fun! Maybe I'll see you again one day," Faramir said.
Diamond felt a bittersweet pang in her heart, but still she smiled. What memorial would she want for herself? Shed no tears for Diamond Took. She had a great life. She's having one still. That would do.