From a bough near the top of a young oak, Aya watches as the little juncos and chickadees dart between its branches, excited by the promise of spring in the air. "Come and play!" they call merrily as they flit in and out of sight. Aya laughs but she doesn't join in their fun, something else has caught her eye.
A beautiful mourning dove has made her nest in the tree not far below where Aya is perched. Her eyes are so soft and kind that Aya decides to call her Mwynen, 'my gentle one'.
Aya and Mwynen become fast friends, and Aya spends her days at Mwynen's nest singing old faerie lullabies to the two perfect little eggs.
She calls them Síoda and Áine (she's sure they are girls), and whispers to their warm shells that one day she will teach them to fly and then they can play tag in the branches of the oak.
Answer to a Child's Question
Do you ask what the birds say? The Sparrow, the Dove,
The Linnet and Thrush say, “I love and I love!”
In the winter they’re silent—the wind is so strong;
What it says, I don’t know, but it sings a loud song.
But green leaves, and blossoms, and sunny warm weather,
And singing, and loving—all come back together.
But the Lark is so brimful of gladness and love,
The green fields below him, the blue sky above,
That he sings, and he sings; and for ever sings he—
“I love my Love, and my Love loves me!”
--
Samuel Taylor Coleridge, 1772 - 1834
Aya and Mwynen are one of a kind art dolls. Mwynen stands on the edge of her needle felted nest, which rests on a piece of smooth driftwood (Mwynen & nest are 10" inches high). Aya can sit atop her back, or in her nest. Her wire armature allows her to be gently repositioned, so she can be displayed together or separately. She's wearing a silk and wool dress with an embroidered leather bodice. Her hair is hand dyed wool locks. She stands 5.5" tall. Aya is an art doll and not intended for play. They will be available in my shop February 17th, at 8AM PST. Their price is $395 (USD) plus postage.