Rose-Red Morning

On her last morning, Polly watched the sun climb slowly over the canyon. Its light slid down the great temple bit by bit, and the rose-red stone began to glow as if it were on fire.

High on top of the temple stands a giant stone jar. People once believed that a treasure was hidden inside it. But Polly knew the truth by now. The real treasure is the stone itself.

The little pink rosefinch came back one more time and sang to her from a carved column. Polly touched the warm rose-red wall with her wing, very gently, one last time.

Then she flew up and out of the canyon, high over the open desert. Below her, the crack became a thin dark line again. A twenty minute walk. Seven wonderful days. Polly carried the colour of the rose-red stone with her, all the way home.