Anyway, I just wanted to say that Babis enjoys watching crows fly over roof tops or perch on the top branches of the eucalyptus trees that rise tall from the bottom of the moat (or ditch) which runs around the old town of El Khandaq. The town is surrounded by very old walls which on seven locations project into the moat like spearheads. However, the town is known by its original name, Heraklion; it was named after Heracles, a mythical Greek hero known for his twelve labours. To find the moat and the town you must type these numbers and letters in the magic box: 35 19' 51.61"N, 25 07' 48"E. If you “roll down” the wheel on that which a cat would love to chase, you will also see the eucalyptus trees and a football ground.
On his way to school, and before he reaches the moat, Babis raises his head a little and his eyes scan the sky or run along the contour of the blocks of flats which line up the street before the moat. He looks for the black and grey birds that he calls friends. They are his friends because in his mind he flies with them over trees and houses, and tumbles and rolls in the air with every strong blow of the wind. But he isn’t quite happy.
“What does the world look like from where the crows fly?” Babis wonders as the sound of an approaching car from behind makes him cautious. He is walking through a narrow one-way street with no sidewalks.
Sometimes the crows fly in large numbers: one, two, three, four, five …. Oh it’s so difficult to count them all as they race through the air or swerve to chase one another in play.
Look, there is one flying low! Its wings rise and fall quietly, fanning the air gently, with its beak cutting the air like an arrow in slow motion. Surely, it must know where it is going. There is a sense of purpose in its flight.
“Where are you flying to, little crow?’ whispered Babis.
But you wouldn’t expect crows to understand human talk, would you? However, this can’t stop people from speaking to birds or to their pets. Actually, it makes perfect sense to speak to animals. I know some people who speak to their plants. Now, that’s love! However, in this part of the world there are people who don’t like crows at all. Because crows are mostly black in colour, people say that they are an omen, and mean that crows are signs of something bad to come.
‘Oh I wish I could really fly!’ Babis said to himself.
No sooner had he finished his words than he heard a hoarse voice from above. He raised his head and saw a crow.
Crow: Your wish is granted. You can fly now!
Babis: How, please show me how!
Crow: Just flap your hands, that’s all.
As soon as Babis started to flap his hands, he also started to rise in the air. He flapped and flapped until he reached the top of the eucalyptus trees. He could smell the fresh leaves at the top. He flapped and rose higher in the company of his new friend, the speaking crow.
‘Hey, this is where my brother plays football!’ he said, pointing to the football ground on the walls of the old town. ‘How exciting!’ he continued, then rolled his body against the north breeze and extended his arms and legs to catch more air and rise higher. He did all these movements without thinking, as if he had been a bird all his life.
‘I can see the harbour from up here,’ said Babis, ‘the big ferries and the Venetian fortress.’
The ferries sail from Heraklion to the port of Piraeus, about 150 miles north. Babis has travelled by boat once, when his father took him to Athens to visit the Parthenon. In ancient times the Parthenon was the temple of the Greek goddess Athena. Today it is the most important ancient monument of Greece. It was built about 2500 years ago.
Then a stronger blow of air pushed Babis back and higher up, away from the moat
‘I can see where I live,’ he said pointing to a block of flats below, ‘there, on the first floor of that building.’
Indeed, there was a bicycle stuck on the pole of a TV antenna.
‘You don’t use it any more?’ asked the crow.
‘No, my grandmother gave me a shiny red one last Christmas,’ Babis replied. ‘I wonder who put it up there.’
‘We did,’ replied the crow, ‘we, the crows.’
‘Why did you do that?’ asked Babis
‘Things that can be of use to other people should not be thrown away or left to rust,’ answered the crow, ‘I’m sure there is someone who can use your old bike.’
As they hovered over the houses, they heard the voice of a little girl.
‘Oh I wish I had a bike for my birthday tomorrow!’
‘Whose voice is that?’ the crow asked.
‘It’s Anne’s,’ replied Babis, ‘Anne is my friend and I feel sorry for her.’
‘Why is that?’ the crow asked
‘Because she doesn’t get any presents,’ said Babis, “Her parents are …”
‘Be careful,’ the crow cawed loudly.
But it was too late. A strong gust of wind threw Babis tumbling and rolling through the air, back against the eucalyptus trees. He shut his eyes and thought …
‘Ooops, this is going to hurt,’
But he didn’t feel any pain, except a little pressure on his chest. However, the scent of the eucalyptus leaves was stronger this time.
When he opened his eyes, he was lying in his bed, while his mother was rubbing his chest with a soft paste which smelled like the eucalyptus leaves. He understood that his flying adventure had been nothing but a dream, a rather nice dream.
“Good morning, dear’, his mother said, and pointing to a little bottle in her left hand continued, ‘This will clear your stuffy nose.’
‘Mom,’ said Babis, ‘It’s Anne’s birthday today and I’m thinking of giving her a present.’
‘Oh, that’s very nice of you,’ his mother said, ‘What do you have in mind?’
‘My new bike,’ replied Babis
‘Your new shiny red bicycle!’ exclaimed his mother
‘Yes, this will make her very happy. I know it will.’
