A Peacock's Fan: Chapter 1: Gemfeather

(Illustration by Mary E. Moser)


Gemfeather is a peacock. She is a perfectly normal, very beautiful, young peacock….and that is her problem. When her prim and proper sisters are off preening their dull brown and tan feathers, she wishes she could be colorful like the boys. She wants to be different, unique. Once, when she was 4 months old, she squirted blueberry and cranberry juice all over her fan, and her mother made her hold them in the lake until they were their natural, boring, color again. She is happiest when she is running about in the fields. She goes to school at the best one her parents could find, where she learns to strut, and clean herself, and all the proper ways to behave. She really wishes she were more unique, but her sisters are no help. She wishes she had an older brother. She’s always wanted one. She is a middle child. Every night, she wishes on a star that her feathers would turn green, or purple, or red………any color but brown.