myth for egret orchid

The birds knew the men were coming before anyone else did. They could see their footprints and their braiding path in the landscape. They made patterns in the sky when the men set up camp by the bog and shot their first squirrels to eat. 

Sweetie spoke with her father. He said that he sold their house to the men. Sweetie was ashamed it had been so easy to convince him. He, who had been so certain in all other parts of his life. What did they give him - or what had they threatened to take away? Her stomach sank. They could still live in the house, he went on, only every day one of the officials. Would knock on their door and inspect the house. She helped her mother make bread while the brothers were chopping wood. Her hands shook each time the axes thwacked at the long burning wood. 

The next morning a bird started pecking at her window and she nearly wept after she screamed at it to leave. She kicked the wall instead. Her blood felt frozen. The bird cocked its head and flew away. She thought she had scared it away - this is always the illusion of humans: that we scare birds. 

She started to see the birds grow up all over the ground. Sweetie tried not to look at them because they terrified her.