
In a bustling medieval castle, the arrival of a returning noble and his young daughter sparks a weekend of feasting, music, and whispered intrigue. Amid the fragrant gardens, the wandering troubadour rehearses a new ballad, his melodies weaving through the chorus of songbirds that seem to celebrate the guests. It is there that he encounters Peirol, a serious‑eyed boy cradling a white pigeon, whose uncanny rapport with the flock hints at a hidden talent far beyond his humble origins.
As the castle’s gates swing open to herald trumpets and the chatter of courtiers, the boy’s flock erupts in a dazzling display, turning him into a living sculpture of feathered companions. Peirol boasts of training his “voyageur” pigeons, suggesting a deeper purpose for their flights. The stage is set for a tale where music, mystery, and the secret art of messenger birds may intertwine, drawing listeners into a world where every wingbeat could change the course of the festivities.
Language
en
Duration
~5 hours (334K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Text file produced by Juliet Sutherland, Charles Franks and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team HTML file produced by David Widger
Release date
2004-05-01
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
1869–1951
A writer of historical fiction for young readers, she brought faraway times and places to life with a reporter’s eye for vivid detail. Before turning to books, she worked in Washington journalism and later drew on years of storytelling at summer camps to shape her fiction.
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