In the story A White Heron, by Sarah Orne Jewett, a young girl named Sylvia moves from the city to the country to help her grandmother on her farm. She quickly falls in love with country life, makes friend with the cow, and comes to realize how lucky she is to live among nature.
One day she encounters a hunter on one of her excursions. He talks of loving nature, and learning from animals, but he shoots the animals he studies. He asks to stay with Sylvia and her grandmother, and the accept him. He then offers them ten dollars if Sylvia can lead him to a white heron. Though leading a peaceful, contented life, they are poor, and ten dollars could change their lives significantly.
Sylvia decides to help him find the white heron. She know the area, and knows the animals, and is positive she can find it for him. She goes into the woods and climbs a tall, stately tree, all the way to the top. As she looks at the beauty around her, she finally does spot the elusive white heron. She is in awe of the bird's grace and dignity. As she watches it, she has an epiphany. She realizes that this white heron is a glorious living creature, and she knows it would be a grievous thing to take its life. As bad as her family needs the money, she understands that she cannot let this magnificent animal be killed.
There is a wonderful moral to be found in this short but sweet story. Some things cannot be bought. The gift God gave us when we were given nature isn't something easily discarded. It is to be treasured, and we are to be good stewards of it.
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