by Joy Redmond
Baby Deer looked around and said, “I’ve never been in a people house before. It’s sort of nice.”
“Come sit by me,” I said as I headed for the sofa, but before we got there, Nana wagged her finger.
“You know the rules,” she said. “No animals on the furniture. Baby Deer, I’m sorry but you’ll have to stay on the floor.”
I quickly dropped to the floor and sat by Baby Deer, saying, “That’s okay, Nana. I’d rather sit down here anyway.” I didn’t really mind, even though it seemed silly to worry about such a frayed, stained, lopsided old sofa.
Baby Deer sat on his haunches. As we braced our backs against the sofa, I asked, “How did you get here and how did you fine me?”
“I swan the creek,” Baby Deer said proudly. “Then I followed the dirt lane until I saw the lights from your people house. Then I peeked in and saw you and Nana. It was quite easy.”
Nana gave Baby Deer a stern look, and said, “Does your mama know where you are?”
Baby Deer looked at the floor and replied, “No, she put me to bed, but I sneaked off when she went to sleep.”
Nana clucked her tongue like old hen, and said, “Baby Deer, if Julia sneaked out after I put her to bed and went into the woods looking for you, I’d skin her alive.”
Baby Deer’s eyes widened as he said, “Skin her alive!”
I rolled my eyes as I stroked his ears and said, “That’s one of her silly old sayings. She wouldn’t really skin me—dead or alive.”
“Oh,” he said with a giggle.
I loved his giggle.
Nana continued, “You have to go home. I’m sorry.”
“No Nana,” I complained. “He’ll catch his death if he goes back into the water tonight.”
“Mama won’t wake up until the sun comes up,” Baby Deer said. “Even if she does, she won’t worry. There’re many times when I wake up, run in the woods, then go back to sleep. She won’t worry—honestly, Nana.”
Nana wasn’t swayed. She said, “My point is, you shouldn’t sneak off and go somewhere your mama doesn’t know about. Nice kids don’t slip away when their mama’s put them to bed.” Baby Deer got a finger-wag.
“Nana, he can stay all night with me and get up when the sun comes up and high-tail it home,” I pleaded. “We can bring in some leaves and make him a bed.”
“Oh no,” said Nana, her tone softening a bit. “I won’t have leaves all over my carpet. I’ll make a pallet in front of the TV, and you two can sleep on the floor. You slept on a pile of leaves like a deer. Now he can sleep on a pallet like a people—I mean person.”
While Nana fixed our sleeping spot I said, “Baby Deer, we have to say our prayers.” I knelt in front of the sofa, rested my elbows on the cushion, folded my hands and bowed my head.
Baby Deer sat on his haunches, rested his front legs on the cushion, placed his goofy hooves together and bowed his head.
“Ever before me, my Jesus stands,” I began. “I freely give my soul to His sweet hands. Protect and guard me through the night. Smile upon me come morning’s light. Amen.”
“Amen,” Baby Deer repeated. “That was a sweet prayer. I hope I can remember it—but who is Jesus?”
“Jesus is the son of our Creator,” I answered.
“Our Creator has a son? I didn’t know that. Way cool,” Baby Deer said.
“Here you go kids,” Nana said as she spread a blanket and dropped two pillows onto the floor.
I lay on my right side and Baby Deer lay on his left side. His legs poked me in the head. He spread his front legs apart. “Scoot between my legs,” he said. I scooted close and Baby Deer embraced me. It was warmer than hugging my teddy bear.
I looked up when I saw a flash. Nana had snapped a picture.
“Well, that’s one for the books,” she said, sitting in her rocker.
“Nana, will you tell us a bedtime story?” I asked.
Nana scratched her head for a few minutes. “Once upon a time, a grandma had a granddaughter named Julia. Julia had a friend who was a baby deer and his name was Baby Deer. One night Baby Deer slipped off and came to see Julia without telling his mama where he was going.”
Baby Deer and I giggled. “What next, Nana?” Baby Deer asked.
“The grandma scolded Baby Deer for running off and she told him he had to go home, but Baby Deer wanted to call his mother and ask if he could spend the night with Julia.”
Nana paused a minute then continued, “The grandma gave Baby Deer a stern look. You want to call your mama? You have a phone? I don’t believe you. If you have a phone, what’s your number?”
“D-E-E-R,” replied Baby Deer.
“The grandma said, ‘That’s not a number, little man.’
‘It could be,’ Julia said, reaching for the phone. ‘See, there’s letters above the numbers.’
“Julia pushed the letters D-E-E-R. ‘I hear a ring,’ Julia said.
“The grandma took the phone and when someone answered, she said, ‘Hello. I’m sorry to bother you, but is this the mama of Baby Deer?’”
Baby Deer smiled at me and said, “She’s a good storyteller.”
“Shhh. Don’t break her concentration,” I said.
Nana continued, “The grandma said, ‘I don’t mean to be a tattletale, but Baby Deer slipped off and he’s at my house.’
“The mama deer said, ‘What? Who is this?’
“The grandma handed the phone back to Julia and said, ‘Hold the phone up to his ear, he has to face the music.’
“Julia placed the receiver close to Baby Deer’s ear, and he finally said, ‘I’m sorry, Mama, but Julia couldn’t swim the creek to come see me and she’s the only friend I have.’”
Baby Deer and I giggled again, and Nana giggled with us.
“Go on, Nana. What happened next?” Baby Deer asked.
“Well, Baby Deer stopped talking and the grandma could tell by the look on his face that he was getting a tongue lashing.
“Julia put the phone to her ear and said, ‘Excuse me. My name is Julia and it’s my fault he slipped off. If you’ll please let him spend the night, I’ll make sure he’s home early tomorrow.’
“The mama deer said, ‘I don’t know a Julia. Are you from the family that lives on the other side of Deer Village?’
“Julia replied, ‘Yes, I live in the grey tin house across the creek.’
“The mama deer said, ‘Only people live in houses across the creek.’
“Julia replied, ‘Yes, I’m a people, but I’m a good people and I love deer’
“The mama deer cried, ‘Oh, my. I don’t know what to think.’
“Julia quickly added, ‘I promise I won’t hurt your baby and I’ll take good care of him.’
“With Julia’s promise, the mama deer calmed down and said it would be okay for Baby Deer to spend the night. The End,” said Nana.
I barely remembered hearing Nana say, “The End,” and the next thing I remembered was Baby Deer nudging me and saying, “The sun’s up. I need to get back home.”
I walked him down the lane and watched him swim the creek. Once he reached the other bank, he looked back and said, “Bye, Julia.”
“Bye, Baby Deer.”
Then we both said, “See you next Saturday.”
MAMA AND PAPA DEER
I flipped the pillow and hugged it as if I were hugging Baby Deer and smiled. My eyes wouldn’t open, and I didn’t want them to. I had to get back to Baby Deer—and soon, I was in dreamland where another week had passed.
I arrived at Nana and Pawpaw’s house by 9:00 that morning. I jumped from the car before Mama had even come to a complete stop.
“Bye, Mama,” I called as I raced toward the trailer.
“Well, how about a kiss—?”
I hurried into the trailer before Mama finished her sentence. Then I headed into kitchen where I found Nana cutting up vegetables to make soup.
“Can we go see Baby Deer?” I asked breathlessly. “I’ve been counting the days all we
ek. I have to see him before I bust wide open.”
“We have to wait until Pawpaw and Uncle Scott get back,” she said. “In the meantime, I was hoping you’d help me cut up these vegetables, and once the soup is on the stove, I thought we’d make some more chocolate chip cookies. We’re running low. Only a handful left.”
“OK,” I reluctantly agreed. “I think Baby Deer will like chocolate chip cookies—and even if he doesn’t, I’m sure he’ll like vegetable soup.”
A few minutes later I heard the old flatbed truck pull into the yard. I ran to the window and said, “Pawpaw and Uncle Scott are back! I hope the bridge is done.”
Soon Pawpaw and Uncle Scott walked into the kitchen.
“We got it snug against both banks,” said Pawpaw before I could ask questions. “And I think it’ll be strong enough for you and Nana to walk across.”
Uncle Scott kissed me on the forehead and said, “My, my. You get prettier every time I see you.”
I blushed and said, “Thanks.”
Uncle Scott kissed Nana on the cheek and said, “See you soon, Mom. Love you.”
We all told Uncle Scoot goodbye and thanked him for his help. Then I said, “Nana do I have to wait until the soup is done and then eat before I go see Baby Deer?”
“No, honey, the soup will cook all day,” she said. “But I know you’re anxious to get going.”
“Aren’t you going to come with me?” I asked as I filled a plastic bag with the last few cookies.
“I think you’re old enough to go by yourself,” Nana said. “But, I want you back here by five o’clock. Are you wearing your Princess watch?”
“Yes I am,” I said, holding up my wrist for her to see. I kissed Nana and raced out the door. Dust flew from under my feet as I ran down the dirt lane.
“Wow,” I said as I eyed the bridge. I ran across it, yelling, “Baby Deer, it’s me! Where are you?”
There was no reply. My eyes darted from tree to tree until I saw a white end of a tail. I tiptoed to the tree. “Aha! There you are.”
Baby Deer giggled and said, “I saw you crossing the bridge, so I decided to see if you could find me.”
I hugged his neck. “You’re not a good hider,” I said.
“I guess not,” said Baby Deer. “Anyway, we can’t play games in the woods, today. My mama says we have to come to my house. She wants to meet you and she wants you to have dinner with us. We’re having rabbit stew.”
“You eat rabbit!” I said in amazement.
“No, of course not,” said Baby Deer. “We don’t eat meat, silly! We eat grain and vegetables. Mama just calls it rabbit stew because it’s got carrots in it.”
“Oh, good,” I said. “You had me worried there for a minute. Oh, I almost forgot. I brought some cookies. People like them, and I thought you might like to try one. I pulled out a chocolate chip cookie and held it to Baby Deer’s mouth. He quickly wolfed it down.
“Oh, my! That was good. I like people cookies. Can I have another one?” he asked, holding his mouth open.
“I think we better wait until we eat the rabbit stew,” I said. “Nana says I have to eat the good food before I get sweets. By the way, where do you live?”
“I live in Deer Village,” he replied, turning and walking toward a large tree. “It’s not far from here. Follow me.”
I followed him through the woods, looking down, careful not to trip over roots that were on top of the ground. Then I looked up and yelled, “Watch out! You’re going to run smack-dab into that tree!”
Baby Deer laughed and replied, “That’s not a tree, silly. It’s my house.”
“Your house?” I said, wondering if he were teasing me.
“My house looks like a tree so the hunters won’t find us.”
“Oh, that’s a good idea,” I said. As I looked, I saw a large black thing on the tree that looked like a nose, complete with nostrils. “What is that black thing?” I asked, pointing my finger.
“Squeeze it,” said Baby Deer.
I reached up and gave it a squeeze and I was surprised when it made a squeaking sound—sort of like a mouse. “What is it?” I asked again.
“It’s our door bell. Squeeze it again.”
Before I could raise my hand, the door opened and a deer stood in front of me. I sucked in my breath. It was a big deer.
“You must me Julia,” the deer said in a sweet female voice. “Please come in.”
As I walked inside, I saw that the house had round rooms and dirt floor, but it was clean and a delicious smell filled my nostrils. Then I saw four bowls sitting on the floor.
“The two little bowls are for us,” said Baby Deer. I followed him to the bowls. “Eat up,” he said, and dropped his head into the bowl.
I studied for a minute, then I dropped to my knees and stuck my head into the bowl, using my tongue to lap up the soup like a dog. A few carrots fell on the floor.
Baby Deer stopped eating. “Why are you dropping your food all over the floor? Don’t you like it?”
“I use forks and spoons when I eat. I don’t know how to use my tongue. I’m a people, you know,” I said a bit snappish. “I’d like to see you eat with a spoon.”
“I’m sorry, but I don’t know what forks or spoons are. But you don’t have to get mad. I don’t know how people eat.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to get snippy. What little I got into my mouth was good,” I said. Then I whispered, “What is your mama’s name?”
“Mama Deer.”
“I know she is a mama deer, but what is her name?”
“Mama Deer,” he said again.
“Okaaaay,” I said. “Is you daddy’s name, Daddy Deer?”
“Nope, his name is Papa Deer. Everybody that used to live in Deer Village was named Deer.”
“How many houses are in Deer Village?” I asked.
“I don’t know numbers, but no Deer live in any of them now. We’re the only ones left in Deer Village. There’s a Deer graveyard, too, for the ones who got shot and found their way back to Deer Village before they died.”
I felt tears welling as I said, “That’s so sad. I don’t understand how people can shoot animals, but Nana says it’s nature’s way.”
Mama Deer came back into the room and gently rubbed her nose up and down my arm. “Nana’s right, Julia. It’s nature’s way even if we don’t understand it or like it. There’s no point trying to change nature. The other deer that live close by our village are good neighbors. They just can’t talk with us.”
Suddenly the door opened and Papa Deer walked into the room. “Hi, little girl.I bet you’re Julia,” he said. “Baby Deer told me all about you, and he was right when he said you were pretty.”
I looked at Baby Deer and grinned. Baby Deer fluttered his eyelashes.
“You gave me the dewy-eyed-dodo-look,” I said, then I had to explain.
Mama and Papa Deer laughed and did a flutter. “You got it right,” I said, fluttered my lashes again.
“Mama, is there any rabbit stew left? I’m hungry,” said Papa Deer.
“Yes, there’s plenty,” Mama Deer replied. “And Julia brought people cookies for dessert.”
After Papa Deer had finished his stew, I handed him a cookie. He ate it so quickly I wondered if he even bothered to chew it. “I like people cookies,” he said, licking his lips. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll bring more, later,” I said.
Baby Deer looked at me and asked, “What do people trade when they want things from other people? Deer trade food and extra straw.”
“Well, people use something they call money and buy what they want, but sometimes we do what deer do—we call it bartering,” I replied. “Bartering means trading,” I explained. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Sure,” he replied. “Ask me anything.”
“How did Deer learn how to talk?”
Before Baby Deer could answer, his mama said, “A long, long time ago my great-grand deer was walking in the woods
and she saw a figure hanging in a tree. She chewed the rope and the figure dropped to the ground. When she nudged it with her nose, the figure jumped up.
“Great-Grand Deer realized it was a people woman and she was afraid,” said Mama Deer. “But the people woman was kind and told Great-Grand Deer she’d been hanging in the tree for a long time. She said she had been praying and that the Creator had promised her that any being who freed her would be granted the ability to speak and be able to understand people language.”
“Oh, my,” I said.
“It was only then that Great-Grand Deer realized that she understood what the people woman was saying. She then heard herself reply in people language, ‘I hope my offspring will be able to speak and understand it also.’ That’s how it came to be,” said Mama Deer. “From that day forward, deer from our family could talk to humans.”
“I bet it happened at the stroke of midnight on the twelfth day of Christmas,” I said excitedly. “God grants all animals the ability to talk on January 6th, but because your great-grand deer was kind to a human, God granted her offspring the ability to continue speaking. What a wonderful story. I can’t wait to tell Nana!”
I looked at my Princess watch and said, “Oh, my goodness! I was supposed to be back at Nana’s by now. Goodbye, everybody. It was nice to meet you.”
As I rushed out the door, Baby Deer ran beside me.
“Bye, Baby Deer,” I called as I ran back across the bridge.
“Bye, Julia. See you next Saturday!” I heard him say as I raced down the lane toward Nana’s.
COUSIN CAITLIN
I was late and I knew Nana was going to fuss and ask if I could tell time. I ran the up the lane as fast as I could, rushed through the back door, into the utility room, and into the kitchen.
I was out of breath, but I managed to say, “I’m sorry, Nana. I know I’m late, but let me tell you about Deer Village.” I paused to take a breath. “And I know why Baby Deer can talk.”
Nana smiled, and said, “I knew you’d be late, so I told you to be home earlier than I wanted you here—so believe it or not, you’re right on time.”