The Bird Maker

High in the branches of an old tree, a boy works by candlelight.

From twigs and thread, bits of fabric, pressed leaves, and forgotten things, he carefully makes birds-each one different, each one shaped with patience and care. When a bird is finished, the boy leans close and whispers something only it can hear. And then, gently, he lets it go.

At first, the birds return to him. They perch nearby, linger at the edge of the clearing, or circle back as if unsure of the distance between leaving a...