They hid in the countryside until they were captured by the Nazis.
Flying Symbols
J EZRA SAT CROSS-LEGGED ON the hard ground, engrossed in her game of fantasy. By arranging the stones into geometric patterns, she created a symbolic language. The act of placing the stones in a certain order served a ceremonial purpose, opening portals to other realms. She escaped reality and retreated to an imaginary world beyond the reach of the iron men.
With the point of her drawing stick she dug tiny round holes, making three rows of nine. Into each hole she placed a small treasure, a sacred stone from her pouch. As she held the last stone in her hand, about to insert it into the last hole, she heard the flapping of wings and the call of a bird flying overhead.
“Caw, caw.”
A black crow had dropped a feather that twisted in the breeze and floated toward her grid of stones. The quill of the feather managed to land exactly in the center of the tiny hole. By a small miracle the feather stood upright in the hole.
Amazing
, thought Jezra as she admired the sleek black feather.
“Caw, caw,”
she heard again, and looked up. She saw one crow flying over the other, making a flying cross in the sky. The intersection of the two arms of the cross marked the spot where Jezra was sitting—the same spot where the black feather had landed. In this way the pair of crows introduced themselves to the young artist. They entered into her imaginary world and spoke to her, mind-to-mind. Many prisoners at Auschwitz retreated into a world of make-believe to escape from feeling emotional pain.
Next, the two birds made a circle in the sky, one following the other, around and around. Jezra knew that the cross and the circle were signs in the heavens. She sent a telepathic message to the flying crows: “Greetings to you, birds of the great sky.” As she thought these words, the two crows abruptly changed the direction of their flight. They flew toward her, one landing on each side of her rows of stones.
“Hail, child of Light! Many animals would like to serve humans but are unable to break through the interspecies communications barrier.We are here to offer our assistance. We have come to work with you as members of Natasza’s team of healers. We can carry messages from one part of the camp to the other. We can spy on the Nazis and tell you their secrets.
“Learn the meaning of our flying symbols. The cross indicates the location of a person who is in danger or requires healing. The circle marks the location of a group of people in need of help. When you see the cross, you may go safely to the site by yourself. When you see the circle, beware. Protect yourself and bring other healers with you.”
As the pair of crows instructed Jezra, seven more black crows flew overhead, making the sign of a V. “The point of the V faces in the direction of an emergency,” explained the crows. “When a large number of people are involved, a cross cannot mark the site, nor can a circle enclose it. V formation is for massacres and executions. Watch for our maneuvers. Swooping low above your head means
Take cover at once
. Landing on the roof of a barracks means that a sick or wounded person inside needs your attention. Listen for our calls. They are like sirens to warn you:
“Three caws in a row:
All is well
.
“Four caws, pause, four caws:
All clear
.
“Loud caws, a pause between every caw, repeated over and over:
Warning
or
Danger
.
“Listen Learn our language. Practice telepathy. To wake you up, we will drop pebbles or acorns onto the roof above your bed, or we will tap on the roof with our beaks.” The elder crow flew to a nearby roof and tapped it loudly with his beak.
Tap, tap, tap
(pause)
rap, tap, tap
(pause)
RAP, TAP, TAP
. It was a code of three times three. “When you hear tapping on the roof, you are needed immediately. It is life or death.”
Our airborne allies were part of our reconnaissance system. By making periodic sky patrols over the
Flying Symbols
J EZRA SAT CROSS-LEGGED ON the hard ground, engrossed in her game of fantasy. By arranging the stones into geometric patterns, she created a symbolic language. The act of placing the stones in a certain order served a ceremonial purpose, opening portals to other realms. She escaped reality and retreated to an imaginary world beyond the reach of the iron men.
With the point of her drawing stick she dug tiny round holes, making three rows of nine. Into each hole she placed a small treasure, a sacred stone from her pouch. As she held the last stone in her hand, about to insert it into the last hole, she heard the flapping of wings and the call of a bird flying overhead.
“Caw, caw.”
A black crow had dropped a feather that twisted in the breeze and floated toward her grid of stones. The quill of the feather managed to land exactly in the center of the tiny hole. By a small miracle the feather stood upright in the hole.
Amazing
, thought Jezra as she admired the sleek black feather.
“Caw, caw,”
she heard again, and looked up. She saw one crow flying over the other, making a flying cross in the sky. The intersection of the two arms of the cross marked the spot where Jezra was sitting—the same spot where the black feather had landed. In this way the pair of crows introduced themselves to the young artist. They entered into her imaginary world and spoke to her, mind-to-mind. Many prisoners at Auschwitz retreated into a world of make-believe to escape from feeling emotional pain.
Next, the two birds made a circle in the sky, one following the other, around and around. Jezra knew that the cross and the circle were signs in the heavens. She sent a telepathic message to the flying crows: “Greetings to you, birds of the great sky.” As she thought these words, the two crows abruptly changed the direction of their flight. They flew toward her, one landing on each side of her rows of stones.
“Hail, child of Light! Many animals would like to serve humans but are unable to break through the interspecies communications barrier.We are here to offer our assistance. We have come to work with you as members of Natasza’s team of healers. We can carry messages from one part of the camp to the other. We can spy on the Nazis and tell you their secrets.
“Learn the meaning of our flying symbols. The cross indicates the location of a person who is in danger or requires healing. The circle marks the location of a group of people in need of help. When you see the cross, you may go safely to the site by yourself. When you see the circle, beware. Protect yourself and bring other healers with you.”
As the pair of crows instructed Jezra, seven more black crows flew overhead, making the sign of a V. “The point of the V faces in the direction of an emergency,” explained the crows. “When a large number of people are involved, a cross cannot mark the site, nor can a circle enclose it. V formation is for massacres and executions. Watch for our maneuvers. Swooping low above your head means
Take cover at once
. Landing on the roof of a barracks means that a sick or wounded person inside needs your attention. Listen for our calls. They are like sirens to warn you:
“Three caws in a row:
All is well
.
“Four caws, pause, four caws:
All clear
.
“Loud caws, a pause between every caw, repeated over and over:
Warning
or
Danger
.
“Listen Learn our language. Practice telepathy. To wake you up, we will drop pebbles or acorns onto the roof above your bed, or we will tap on the roof with our beaks.” The elder crow flew to a nearby roof and tapped it loudly with his beak.
Tap, tap, tap
(pause)
rap, tap, tap
(pause)
RAP, TAP, TAP
. It was a code of three times three. “When you hear tapping on the roof, you are needed immediately. It is life or death.”
Our airborne allies were part of our reconnaissance system. By making periodic sky patrols over the
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