The King of the Hummingbirds: And Other Tales
By John Gardner
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About this ebook
John Gardner
John Gardner (1933–1982) was born in Batavia, New York. His critically acclaimed books include the novels Grendel, The Sunlight Dialogues, and October Light, for which he received the National Book Critics Circle Award, as well as several works of nonfiction and criticism such as On Becoming a Novelist. He was also a professor of medieval literature and a pioneering creative writing teacher whose students included Raymond Carver and Charles Johnson.
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The King of the Hummingbirds - John Gardner
The King of the Hummingbirds and Other Tales
John Gardner
Illustrations by Michael Sporn
To Francesca and wee Fred
CONTENTS
The King of the Hummingbirds
The Witch’s Wish
The Pear Tree
The Gnome and the Dragons
The King of the
Hummingbirds
There was once a young man who was stupider than most but had one great virtue: he could always see everything from the other person’s side. The result was that he had a great many friends, and wherever he went there was usually peace and quiet, at least for a while.
One day the young man was walking in the woods, and he came upon a hummingbird lying on its back, kicking its legs and peeping as if fit to be tied.
Perhaps it has hurt its wing,
the young man thought. If I had a broken wing, I would want some kind stranger to pick me up and make me a splint.
But he didn’t know how to make a splint, so he decided that perhaps the hummingbird was grieving because it had been disappointed in love. In that case,
the young man thought, I would want some kind friend to intercede for me with my beloved.
But while the young man was thinking this, a tiny voice said, Young man, come here.
It was the hummingbird.
The young man did as he was told and knelt beside the bird. As soon as he was near he saw the truth. The bird was dying of some dread disease, or else old age, or perhaps from being shot.
Young man,
said the bird, speaking with great difficulty, I see you have a kindly face. I have no one else to turn to, so I must put my faith in you.
You can trust me,
the young man said. I’m not clever, but it’s true that I’m kindly.
It will have to do,
the hummingbird said. It coughed and closed its eyes for a moment, then spoke again—hoarsely, for a bird. I am the king of the hummingbirds, and all my kingdom depends on me, but unfortunately I am dying without an heir. Since you are the only one at hand, I must ask you to take my place. Rule justly, my son. Never let the power go to your head. Take the ring from my foot. It will identify you to my flock.
Without another word, the king of the hummingbirds jerked twice and lay dead as a doornail.
The young man was astonished and grieved, though they were strangers, and he did all he knew how (which wasn’t much) to revive the poor hummingbird, but to no avail. So he took the ring the bird had mentioned and hung it on a string around his neck, and then he