On the highest tower of the old town hall, high above the cobblestone square, there lived a small metal rooster. But he was no ordinary rooster. His name was Weathervane, and his body was made of gleaming copper that sparkled in the sun like golden treasure. He had one very important job: to show which way the wind was blowing. When the wind blew from the north, Weathervane would proudly turn to face north. When the wind rushed in from the south, Weathervane would obediently turn toward the south.
He was a master at it. But he had one secret, great sorrow. Every morning, just before the whole town awakened, a magnificent spectacle unfolded on the eastern side of the sky. The sun would slowly push through from behind the distant hills and paint the sky with colors of raspberry ice cream, orange juice, and sweet honey. Weathervane knew this because he could see the reflections of that beauty in the windows of the houses below him. But he himself had never seen it with his own eyes.
Why? Because the morning wind, as if on purpose, almost always blew from the west. And so, while a new day was being born in the east, Weathervane had to face the exact opposite direction. He felt only a cold breeze on his little beak and heard gentle rustling, but all that splendor was happening behind his back.
"Oh," he sighed one morning in his metallic voice, which sounded like the tinkling of a small bell. "Once, just once, I would like to see that golden disk roll out across the sky. It must be the most beautiful sight in the world."
Just then, a quiet rustling and puffing could be heard on the roof. Up the ladder climbed a cheerful man covered in soot, with a large round brush slung over his shoulder. It was Master Chimney Sweep Jacob, who made sure all the chimneys in the town breathed properly.
"Good morning, guardian of the wind!" he greeted cheerfully and dusted off his hands. "Why are you tinkling so sadly? Is the wind singing you a false song?"
Weathervane shook with surprise. No one had ever spoken to him before. The people in the square were too far away. "Good day, Master Chimney Sweep," he replied shyly. "Oh, the wind sings beautifully, but I would like to see something else. The sunrise."
Jacob smiled and sat down on the edge of the roof. "The sunrise? Why, that's the most beautiful moment of the day! But... ah," he scratched his beard, leaving another funny black smudge on it. "You always look into the wind. And that, as I can see, is now turning you directly toward the west."
"Exactly so," Weathervane chimed sadly. "I am bound here. My duty is important, but my dream is there..." and in his thoughts he pointed his little beak behind him.
Chimney Sweep Jacob thought for a while. His eyes sparkled with curiosity. He was not just a craftsman, he was also a great inventor and observer. "You know, Weathervane," he said finally, "sometimes, when you can't turn around, you have to make what you want to see turn around."
Weathervane didn't understand. "Turn the sun around? That's impossible!"
"Not the sun," Jacob laughed. "But its ray. Light is a great traveler and an excellent jumper. You just have to show it the right path." He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small, shiny object. It was a small, round mirror that he used to see into inaccessible corners of chimneys.
"This will help us," he declared mysteriously.
Just at that moment, dawn was beginning to break in the east. The horizon turned a gentle pink. The wind was still blowing from the west, keeping Weathervane's little beak firmly turned away from that splendor.
"Now watch carefully," said Jacob and positioned himself so that he had the sun behind his back. He turned the mirror toward the pinkening sky. "The light ray is now traveling from the east, it will hit this little mirror of mine and..."
Jacob began to slowly turn the mirror. First, a small, sparkling spot appeared on the wall of the tower. Then it jumped to Weathervane's tail. Weathervane held his breath with excitement.
"A little more... a bit higher..." Jacob guided himself. He carefully changed the angle at which he held the mirror. "We have to find the right little path. The ray must reflect exactly so that it lands in your eyes."
And suddenly it happened! Jacob found the right angle. In his little mirror appeared a perfect, tiny image of the rising sun. And this image, as if sent by magic, traveled directly into Weathervane's glass eyes.
Weathervane was speechless. Before him, even though he was facing west, he could see everything. He saw how the golden orb slowly rose above the horizon, how its rays burned through the morning mist, and how the sky turned into a fireworks display of colors. It was even more beautiful than he had ever imagined. It looked as if the entire sunrise had fit into one small, radiant point.
"I can see it! I can see the sun!" he chimed excitedly. "How is this possible? It's magical!"
"Not magical at all, my friend. It's physics," Jacob smiled. "Light behaves according to rules. When it hits something smooth and shiny, like this mirror, it doesn't just reflect randomly. It reflects at the same angle at which it hit. You just have to aim it correctly."
Weathervane was fascinated. Suddenly his world was not limited only to the direction the wind was blowing. With a little help and a clever idea, he could see around corners too.
From then on, Chimney Sweep Jacob and Weathervane became the best of friends. Every morning, when Jacob's route took him nearby, he would climb the tower and with his little mirror show Weathervane the sunrise. In return, Weathervane would always reliably report whether it would be a beautiful day, or whether Jacob should take his cap because a cold north wind would be blowing.
The little metal rooster was never sad again. He continued to perform his work conscientiously, but he knew that even if he couldn't move where he wanted, his dreams could travel to him. All it took was a bit of ingenuity, a good friend, and one small shiny mirror.
And perhaps you too have some place at home that you can't see into. Try borrowing a small mirror from your parents and see if you can peek in there with the help of reflected light after all.