Thursday 2 July 2009

The Button Thief

button thief illustration on vintage book paper


The Button Thief
by Apryl Lowe

Once there was a pair of blackbirds, with shiny black wings and a beautiful song in the hearts. They had a little nest swaying high in a willow tree. Inside the nest, a pale blue egg the colour of the summer sky.

The egg soon hatched a tiny little bird, as blue as the sky. Mother Blackbird kept her warm in the nest, and Father Blackbird found a button to give his lovely daughter.

A fledgling bird Skye learned to fly, but fell to the ground. A woman dressed in Sunday best, with red buttons on her coat, rescued poor the poor little bird. The little chirped and hopped on the woman’s hand, she pulled a shiny red button from the woman’s coat and flew off into the willow tree.

One little bird feathers bright as the midday sky, she found a wee mask and became a thief.


The button thief she stole a button shining silver in the sun.

Then she stole more, and more, from the men, women and children that walked in the park, from the shops in the town, a treasure trove in the haberdashery.

Round buttons, square buttons, wooden buttons, shell buttons, plastic buttons, metal buttons, cloth buttons, none were safe from the Button Thief.
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Red ones and blue ones, yellow ones and orange ones, shining pearl and carved oak, bright silver, tarnished brass, each shining, button a new treasure to steal.

She sat and preened up high in the willow tree, and admired the beautiful buttons in her nest. Her eyes were keen on the ground, and on the people all around, for the beautiful buttons they might wear.

The end


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the button thief illustration is on a vintage book page from a battered copy of Alice through the Looking-glass, black tea, acrylic paint, and ink were used in the illustration, along with one vintage red button. The light was a bit off when I took the photo but paint shop helped to some degree, I will attempt to photograph the illustration again when it has finished drying and flattening.

10 comments:

Nicola said...

Aww that is one of my favourite illustrations that you've ever done. Love the Button Thief and Adrore the story that you've written for her!
Nicola x

Gina said...

Lovely illustration and story!

x vInTaGe VioLeT x said...

awww - how sweet! i hope Skye never flies by my house - the naughty little button thief, she'd have to move to a bigger nest!

Gill said...

That's a great little story to go with the lovely illustration!! Gx

Jo said...

That is lovely!

Frizbe said...

Well you know how much I like the button thief!

Chrissy said...

You're pure brilliant :) Amazing as usual!

Anonymous said...

There's a children's book called The Button Thief. Its really cool :) You should read it, it's by Latesha Randall

Anonymous said...

I am Latesha Randall - happened across this completely by chance, and I think it is so beautiful! Well done. :-) Have a look at my website if you like, www.buttonbooks.com and you can see my Button Thief story. xx

Flame said...

How had I not seen this?!!?