The Owl and the Shepherd Boy

ENGLISH
EDITION
The Owl and the
Shepherd Boy
Tuula Pere • Catty Flores
W
ickWick

The Owl and the Shepherd Boy
Story by Tuula Pere
Illustrations by Catty Flores
Layout by Peter Stone
English translation by Mirka Pohjanrinne
Edited in US English by Susan Korman
ISBN 978-952-325-775-7 (ePub)
ISBN 978-952-325-275-2 (Print)
First edition
Copyright © 2017 Wickwick Ltd
Published 2017 by Wickwick Ltd
Helsinki, Finland
Printed in EU
Originally published in Finland by Wickwick Ltd in 2017
Finnish “Pöllö ja paimenpoika”, ISBN 978-952-325-274-5 (Print), ISBN 978-952-325-774-0 (ePub)
US English “The Owl and the Shepherd Boy”, ISBN 978-952-325-275-2 (Print), ISBN 978-952-325-775-7 (ePub)
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ENGLISH
EDITION
The Owl and the
Shepherd Boy
Tuula Pere • Catty Flores
W
ickWick
Children’s Books from the Heart
1

The shepherd boy, Nicky, and his father had just climbed to a mountain
meadow. Nicky was going to stay alone to look after a herd of
goats. His father opened the door to a small shepherd’s cottage and put
some woolen blankets and food on the table.
“These supplies will get you through next week. I will then come back
to get you. Don’t forget to herd the goats inside the pen each night, and
lock the cottage door so you’ll be safe,” his father advised him.
“But I’m afraid of the dark,” the boy said. “I’m not used to being alone
for such a long time.”
“Take this willow whistle. Play it in the evenings till your eyes close,”
his father said encouragingly. “You’ll be fine.”
Nicky was very doubtful that playing the whistle would do any good.
He wasn’t feeling fine at all when his father waved good-bye and set
off.
2

3

4

That evening Nicky took the herd to drink from a mountain brook.
Then he herded the goats inside the pen near the cottage. As the night
grew dark, he burned some dry twigs in the fire outside and played his
willow whistle.
What a gloomy place this is, Nicky thought. I’d much rather be down in
the village with my family.
Thinking about his mother and sisters and his warm bed at home made
Nicky feel sad. A tear sprung to his eye. He decided to play one more song
and then go to sleep inside the cottage.
5

6

Just when Nicky was about to finish playing, he heard a hooting
sound—as if someone was replying to his willow whistle. The boy
listened, stock-still.
Swoosh! A swishing sound pierced the darkness. A big bird flew over
his head and alighted on a treetop. A pair of yellow eyes flashed in the
light of the fire.
“That must be an owl. At least it doesn’t eat people, only mice,” Nicky
said, calming himself down. “But the sound it makes is really frightening!”
Nicky put out the fire and hurried into the cottage. From under his
blanket, he could hear the owl’s hoots long into the dark night.
7

The next afternoon black clouds started rolling in, slowly covering
the entire sky. The goats were nervous and came back from the
meadow to be closer to the cottage. After putting them in the pen,
Nicky went inside and wrapped a blanket around himself. The wind
howled, rattling the cottage door.
Nicky felt frightened. His father had told him that music would help
to distract him. But playing the willow whistle won’t do me much good
now, he thought, curling himself up in a corner of the bed.
The storm grew fiercer. Nicky had never experienced such forces of
nature before. The wind wrenched the cottage door open, and rain
poured in. The roof creaked at the joints, and one by one, the building’s
wooden boards flew off. Wood and trash swirled through the air.
Nicky sheltered his head with a tin bucket and wrapped the woolen
blanket more tightly around himself. He had no choice but to wait for
the storm to abate.
8

9

It was not until the next morning that nature finally
calmed down. Nicky put the bucket away and looked
around. The goats had escaped the pen and there was
no sign of them anywhere.
Father is going to be so angry! Nicky thought, horrified.
I have managed to lose an entire herd of goats!
10

The shepherd boy had other worries. The storm had
torn down the cottage and taken all his food, clothes,
and fire-starting tools. All that was left was one of the
woolen blankets, now torn into shreds.
Nicky’s father was coming back in one week. But Nicky
would never last a week with what he had. He would get
hungry, and the cold nights outdoors would be dangerous.
He had to find a way to get to the valley, where his home
village was.
11

Nicky did not know the way down the mountain, but
he thought it best to follow the brook. He knew that it
descended to his home valley, where it joined a larger stream.
Walking on the rocky terrain was difficult. The journey would
last at least a couple of days.
“I’d better get moving right away,” Nicky decided, taking the
torn blanket with him.
The young shepherd followed the brook downstream. Here and
there, the slopes were so steep that his feet slipped. Sometimes
he had to go around thick, thorny bushes. At nighttime he had
no choice but to stop.
It’s so cold. But at least this blanket is dry now, Nicky thought,
trying to cover his feet with the torn blanket.
12

13

Nicky was too scared to close his eyes. He pressed himself close against
a rock face, which was still warm from the day’s sun.
“Hoo-hoo!” came a hoot from somewhere very close.
“Is that you, Owl?” Nicky wondered. “Have you been following me?”
From the darkness, a big bird took wing and landed next to him. It was
the same owl that had been hooting near the fire the night before. In the
moonlight Nicky noticed it was carrying something in its beak.
“What on earth?” Nicky cried. “You’re carrying my willow whistle with
you!”
14

15

Nicky started to play the most cheerful tune he knew. It made him
feel a little better. While he was playing, he studied the owl’s
gleaming eyes.
That owl looks very wise. It’s as if it can read my thoughts, Nicky thought.
“Well, I actually can,” answered the owl. “And you can read mine.”
16

The owl came right next to the boy. It felt nice. Nicky was not very
scared anymore.
“Why have you been following me?” Nicky asked.
“I felt so sorry for you, poor boy. It’s not easy to be at the mercy of a
storm all by yourself. I also happen to know that you’re afraid of the
dark,” the owl replied.
“That’s true,” Nicky admitted. “I can’t sleep if my feet are bare.
This tattered blanket doesn’t cover them anymore.”
17

18

The owl raised its head and gave a loud, but friendly, call
into the night. Nicky started to hear swishing noises
from everywhere around him. Soon dozens of owls circled
him, hooting back and forth.
“Enough with the chattering!” Nicky’s owl friend commanded.
“We don’t have all night. The boy is cold and he needs some
sleep.”
To Nicky’s great surprise, the owls landed nearby and
spread their wings to shelter his feet. In the warmth
of the birds, the tired shepherd boy finally closed
his eyes and fell asleep quickly.
19

20

The morning sun woke Nicky. The birds
were gone.
“Was it just a dream?” Nicky wondered. “I’d better get back on
my way to the valley.”
The shepherd boy put the willow whistle into his pocket and took
the blanket with him. Then he headed downhill again. He had
no food, but, fortunately, there was plenty of fresh water in the
brook.
“I’ll get through this day. And I should be back in my home
village by evening,” Nicky guessed. “I just wish I could see the
friendly owl one more time.”
As if in answer to his wish, the owl showed up.
“It looks like you had a good night’s sleep,” the bird said. “And
don’t worry about your goats. They’re grazing a bit higher on the
mountain. If you play a tune or two with your whistle, they’ll
hear that you’re here.”
21

22

Grateful for the friendly owl’s advice, Nicky sat on a rock and
started playing his whistle.
“This piece is called ‘The Hungry Shepherd Boy’s Song,’” he said
to the bird, grinning.
A sweet tune drifted up the hill, and the goats pricked up their
ears. Soon, with the biggest male goat in front, the whole herd
started coming down the mountain, following the sound of the
willow whistle.
The boy jumped up. “How nice to see you all!” he cried, running
to meet the goats. “I’m so glad you survived the storm!”
Nicky picked up the smallest kid in his arms and stroked it
tenderly. He did not have far to travel now. As soon as he crossed
another mound, he could see his home village.
23

The villagers were greatly surprised when they saw Nicky
approach with his goat herd. His owl friend fluttered about,
eventually landing on Nicky’s shoulder.
Nicky’s parents left their chores and hurried to welcome their son.
His younger sisters jumped up and down around him. Everyone
was astonished by the tame owl.
“It was a horrible storm,” Nicky told the villagers. “It left me with
nothing. I thought I couldn’t make it home in one piece.”
24

“H
ow wonderful it is to have you here now!” His
mother sighed and took him in her arms.
His father nodded proudly. “A fine job, Nicky.“ Then
he looked in the owl’s direction. “I see you have a new
friend.”
The owl studied the villagers with its yellow eyes. It was
feeling quite drowsy and ready to take its afternoon
nap.
“And what an amazing friend it is,” Nicky said, stroking
the bird. “It’s not afraid of the dark at all.”
25

For the first time, the shepherd boy, Nicky, is alone in
the mountains with his herd of goats. All of a sudden,
a storm strikes and destroys the shepherd’s cottage and
everything in it. Nicky embarks on a perilous journey back
to his home valley, carrying nothing but a torn blanket.
In the darkness of night, Nicky spots a big owl. Can the
mysterious creature help Nicky find his way home?
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