THE UNGENDERED CHILD

Once upon a time, a group of wanderers sought refuge in an abandoned dilapidated hovel. They discovered a strange and wondrous infant lying on a cold stone hearth. Its hair was white and so curly you couldn't get a comb through it. Its skin was a hue between coffee and cream. Its eyes were blue and green with little gold flecks dancing around the iris. It was wrapped in a sheepskin and had a necklace of bear claws around its neck. The infant was completely alone with no sign of parents, guardians or kidnappers about. Not even a bag of nappies or a bottle was to be found.

"It had to come from somewhere!" declared the oldest of the group.
"Who could be so cruel and heartless? The poor thing could starve or be eaten by wolves!" Exclaimed a tenderhearted woman.
" It might have something wrong with it." said another; "maybe its mother was too ashamed to take it home."

Their speculations were halted by the plaintive cry of the foundling, a cry instantly echoed by another wanderer's new born son. "Here give the little mite to me." Sophia declared, "I have milk enough for two."

The care and feeding of the infant now assured, the question as to its gender and antecedents arose. For although, everyone agreed about the infants strange appearance, they parted company on whether it was male or female. The women saw a female baby, complete with female genitalia, but the men saw miniature copies of themselves. The battle of opinions went on for hours until the combatants were exhausted. Subsequently, they agreed to put off their final decision until the infant was mature or more sexually developed.

As time went by, the group of wanderers continued their aimless traveling, telling fortunes, repairing worn pots, trading odds and ends, picking crops and more than a few pockets. The child continued to grow; unfortunately its sex was still indeterminate.

All the men who saw Whitey considered him an active, intrepid little boy. However the women saw Luna as a sensitive, artistic, and thoughtful girl. Having decided that it was pointless to fight about a mere child's actual gender, the group agreed to ignore the issue of Luna or Whitey's sex until the child was grown.

The men taught Whitey to shoot an arrow, tickle a fish, cut a purse and avoid Old Derry when he was drunk. Luna learned how to embroider fine linen, bake bread, read a palm and misinform old Sophia when she wanted to know what young Derry was up to. The child seemed unconcerned about whether it was a she or a he, Luna totally enjoyed the women's attention when they drew her into a quilting circle and praised her fine hand at embroidery. Whitey had fun outwitting the lazy herd-boys and the local farmers when the men decided to "liberate" some stock. As far as Whitey/ Luna was concerned being a boy/girl or girl/boy was the way to be and he/she felt sorry for those children who were limited to a single gender.

In fact, the question of the child's sex was never settled, for when it was about twelve the little stubs on its back started to grow and before a few months had passed the ungendered child turned into the high flying angel it was destined to be.

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Stories For A Winter Night