The man enters the park. He sits on a bench. He is wearing a grey coat, grey trousers, a grey pullover. He has grey hair and a grey beard.
The man stares into space. He does not see the ball that the children are throwing. The ball hits his leg. The man looks at his leg. He kicks the ball away. He stares into space. The children take the ball and run away. The man says nothing. He does not look at the children running away. He stares into space.
Everyday, the man comes to the park. He always sits on the same bench. The children do not come near him.
One day, the man enters the park and comes to the bench. Under the bench, there is something. The man comes closer and looks under the bench. A round eye is staring at him. A small round head is moving and moving again. Black feathers with green and purple glints. A crow.
The man hesitates. The bird is frightened but it does not fly away. It can’t fly away. One of its wings is spread. This wing might be broken. The man sits on the bench. He sits at the end of the bench, away from the bird. He stares into space. From time to time he looks at the crow under the bench. The crows looks at him. The man looks at the crow. The crow looks at the man.
The following day, the man enters the park. He is holding a bag in his hand. The crow is still under the bench. It is not moving its head as much. The man bends down. He takes out of his bag a small bowl, a bottle of water and a piece of bread. He pours the water into the bowl. He crumbles the bread. He puts the bowl and the crumbles next to the crow. He does it gently as not to frighten the bird. The man sits on the bench. He watches the crow drink and eat.
For a few days, the man brings the crow food and water. The crow greets the man with a little cry.
One day, the crow is no longer under the bench. The man looks to the right, to the left, in the trees around. He does not see the crow. He sits on the bench. He stares into space.
Suddenly, he hears a little cry. The crow is in front of him. It is flying. It jumps on the bench and comes closer to the man. The man takes a piece of bread out of his bag. He puts the crumbs next to him. The crow pecks at the crumbs. The kids come closer and watch the crow peck at the crumbs. The man hands the children a piece of bread.
Every day, the crow greets the man and the man greets the crow.
Every day, the children come closer.
Every day, the man smiles.
Text written by Héloïse
Translated by Hélène
Illustrated by Julie
Vous can read a version of this text in French, in Arabic, in Turkish and in Dari.
An audio version will soon be available.
You can print the book (A4, recto, b&w – be careful with the prints margins)