Little Crow and the Christmas Pie

“I need to lay down,” said Grandmother. “I don’t feel very well.”

“Okay,” said Little Crow. “Go and rest. I will finish cleaning up the kitchen for you.”

“You are such a good little crow,” said Grandmother. “Thank you!”

Little Crow had just finished drying the dishes when his cousin Jake showed up.

“Where is Grandmother?” asked Jake.

“She is sleeping,” said Little Crow.

“Sleeping!” exclaimed Jake. “At this time of the day. It is much too early.”

“She wasn’t feeling good,” said Little Crow. “What did you want from her?”

“It is time for her to make her Christmas pie,” said Jake.

“I am sure she will make it once she gets better,” said Little Crow.

“I can’t wait that long,” said Jake. “I want some right now.”

“I am not going to wake her up,” said Little Crow. “She needs her rest. I can make it, though. Grandmother showed me how to make it last year.”

“I don’t know,” said Jake. “It won’t taste as good.”

“It will be almost as good,” said Little Crow, getting the ingredients out of the cupboard.

Jake complained the whole time Little Crow was making the filling.

“You are doing it wrong,” said Jake. “This isn’t how Grandmother does it.”

Little Crow ignored him. He started making the crust.

“The kitchen smells so good,” said Grandmother, getting up from her nap. “What are you making?”

“I am making your Christmas pie,” said Little Crow, proudly. “Jake wanted some.”

“This is so good,” said Grandmother, taking a spoonful of the filling and tasting it. It just needs a little more brown sugar.”

Grandmother stirred a tablespoon of brown sugar into the filling and tasted it again.

“That is perfect,” said Grandmother.

“I will be the judge of that,” said Jake.

“Not until it is cooked,” said Little Crow.

Little Crow put the pie into the oven. Jake sat and watched it, his mouth watering.

“You did a great job,” said Grandmother, when Little Crow took the pie out to let it cool. “That looks amazing.”

Once the pie had cooled, Little Crow sliced it up and gave a slice of it to Jake.

“I don’t want to eat it,” said Jake.

“Why not?” asked Little Crow, his feelings hurt.

“Little Crow did an amazing job on this pie,” said Grandmother. “He made it for you.”

“But I wanted your Christmas pie,” pouted Jake. “This can’t taste as good as yours.”

“No,” said Grandmother. “It actually tastes better.”

Jake took a small bite and Grandmother was right. It did taste better than hers.

“That was good,” said Jake “Thank you, Little Crow.”

“Merry Christmas,” said Little Crow, happily.