Idol.
Today there was an entire pheasant's wing on the doorstep .. that is the largest offering so far but it was also possibly the coldest night of the year. These gifts started appearing in mid-January and it can't be a coincidence that the weather deteriorated sharply around that time. I first noticed that I was always kicking little rubber balls away when I walked out first thing in the morning .. and then it escalated, sadly, to very cute but (I believe) inedible shrew corpses several times a week.

These became interspersed with real treasures like a lump of chewy builder's putty and the postman's discarded elastic band. Then there was a small tuft of what looked like rabbit fur .. each day after that there was another ..invariably larger .. until finally a HUGE piece. Luckily it all looked very, very old and dessicated and was obviously being plundered from some hedgeside grave. A couple of days ago there were the horrid and depressing remains of a gnawed Goldfinch ... and then .. this morning .. the massive wing.

I can't decide whether to feel proud or upset about these offerings. Has my outstanding superiority over all other humans (within a hundred yards) been recognised by the tribe of half-wild 'barn cats' and I am now being worshipped as a Goddess? Or ... with the coming of ice and darkness .. do they have so little faith in me as the daily food bringer that they have to placate me with these sacrifices to ensure that I will emerge through this door each day? The similarity with the behaviour of the Ancient Incas and their pointless fussing about the sunrise obviously springs instantly to mind. I can't bear it if they are all having to get up unnecessarily early and scour the fields for something 'worthy' of my attention .. or else they will all die. Oh Nooooo. As if. You have no idea of the amount and high quality of the food that is laid out for them on a totally regular basis (often smuggled if my husband is in residence) . Why would they be so insecure .. could it be a racial memory of the days 'Before' we arrived here? Or ... maybe I am just a natural Idol.
- posted by Iris @ 2/25/2006 09:23:00 AM comment