A giant eagle blinked at R’ Shalom from the top of a high branch. Its massive beak clicked together as it surveyed him closely. Then, without warning, it exploded off its perch and swooped down toward the tzaddik.

“Ribbono shel Olam!”

R’ Shalom shielded his head with his arms as the massive creature descended toward him. He heard a giant thud and the ground underneath his feet trembled as the eagle landed inches from his body.

“Go away from me!”

The eagle dug its razor-sharp talons into the forest ground and stretched out its giant wings. It clicked it’s beak as it cocked its head sideways and peered at R’ Shalom.

“Hashem, save me!”

The eagle ruffled its feather and took another step closer to R’ Shalom.

R’ Shalom turned and ran through the trees, ignoring the discomfort of branches as they snapped back in his face.

BOOM!

The great eagle thudded down directly in front of him, blocking his escape route.

“Leave me alone!”

R’ Shalom tried running in the opposite direction.

BOOM!

The earth shook again as the eagle landed in front of him.

Shaken and exhausted, R’ Shalom stared at the stubborn bird before him and tried to understand why it was following him but not attacking him.

The eagle suddenly bent its legs and dropped low to the ground. It turned its head again and stared at R’ Shalom with its large eyes.

R’ Shalom understood: The eagle wanted him to climb onto its back.

The eagle shook its giant wings and crouched even lower. Not daring to breathe, R’ Shalom took a few cautious steps forward. The eagle snapped its beak impatiently.

R’ Shalom sat down upon the massive bird and held on for dear life. With a screech that seemed to shake the very heavens, the eagle flapped its enormous wings and they were off!

Higher and higher they rose, the wind rushing against R’ Shalom’s face as the trees below turned into tiny toothpicks. Against the darkening sky, the eagle flew speedily across the glistening waters below.

R’ Shalom spotted the big, old wooden ship that had brought him to the island.

“There is the ship! It’s the Queen Elizabeth! Take me down!”

The eagle paid him no heed and continued flying with unearthly speed until the ship had disappeared from view. Faster and faster they traveled until everything around R’ Shalom was one giant blur.

And then, just as suddenly as they had taken off, the eagle slowed down and made a sudden descent. R’ Shalom gripped its sides as they hit the ground with a soft thump. He stepped off the eagle’s back and leaped backward as it emitted another earsplitting screech and then flew off into the horizon.

(Excerpted from Mishpacha Jr., Issue 736)