Once upon a time there was a lady who had a beautiful garden beside a small river.
In the summer time the trout would jump in the rush of the water, the birds sang happily and all the wind chimes hanging in the trees and on the fence in the yard would clatter, ring, tinkle or chime in the wind.
Bees added to the summer symphony while sipping nectar from the white flowers of the hosta lilies.
The lady spent many contented hours on the back porch reading or just listening to all the sounds and songs that were being created around her.
Then, one day she found a tiny birdhouse wind chime at a flea market.
‘This will be a nice addition to somewhere in the yard,’ she thought, not quite sure where she’d hang it.
When she got home she looked out in the yard to find a perfect little branch from which she could hang her new chime.
‘Perfect!’
As the lady looked at the tiny addition she realized that the birdhouse was so small that even a hummingbird wouldn’t fit into it.
But she loved the tinkling sound the little chimes made.
The other wind chimes had been around for several years and they all had grown accustomed to the sound and songs they made together when a breeze came by.
Looking on, the other chimes thought,’ who is this now? – so small and looking so funny. A bird can’t even fit into it so what good is it? His chimes are so small – no one will even hear him!’
The tiny birdhouse wind chime wondered how he was ever going to get the others to accept him.
He hung still, very silent and very sad.
One day, the air was heavy and even the creek and the birds seemed quieter than usual.
Then, the slightest breath of a breeze picked up and gently moved the chimes of the tiny birdhouse.
How sweet and gentle it sounded.
The other sleeping wind chimes roused when they heard the soft music and began to move in time with it.
The sound was different but beautiful!
‘What a wonderful way to begin our songs’ thought the other wind chimes.
‘Now we can rest when things are quiet and be awakened to chime by our new friend – the tiny birdhouse wind chime.’
And they all chimed happily ever after.