The Cardinal Who Cared Too Much

🌲 Stanza 1

In a grove where the tall pines bent low with old prayers,

Lived Cardinal Kindwing, who shuffled down stairs.

He sang in the chapel, he swept every pew,

And blessed every worm — even beetles and shrews.

🧣 Stanza 2

He whispered to sparrows, “You’re sacred, you know,”

And offered his scarf when the winter winds blow.

He polished the acorns the squirrels overlooked,

And read bedtime psalms where the foxes once shook.

🐍 Stanza 3

Now high on a branch sat a bishop named Rook,

With talons quite sharp and a glare like a hook.

He scoffed, “That bird’s soft! He hugs every tree!

He’s trading old truth for a sapling’s decree!”

🗣️ Stanza 4

“He’s preaching to puddles! He’s blessing the bees!

He’s quoting from prophets and hugging disease!

This nonsense of mercy must come to a stop—

He’s gone full woke-feather! He won’t even squawk!”

🪺 Stanza 5

But Kindwing just chuckled and puffed up his vest,

“I follow the light where it lands—and it’s blessed.

If grace has no borders, then why should my wing?

I perch where the bruised ones forget how to sing.”

🐢 Stanza 6

He visited turtles too slow for the feast,

And washed the cracked shell of a beetleish priest.

He dined with a stoat who had once been condemned,

And kissed a small snake who’d lost all her friends.

🐾 Stanza 6.5

He brushed off a hedgehog who sneezed in his tea,

Then blessed a small slug who cried silently.

He patted a porcupine’s prickly frown,

And sang to a bat that hung upside down.

📜 Stanza 7

“Tradition,” said Rook, “is a nest made of law!

And wokeness,” he squawked, “is a termite in straw!”

But the wind carried whispers from branches below—

Where Kindwing’s small sermons had started to grow.

🪶 Stanza 7.5

But while Rook raged and feathers flew wide,

A raccoon held up signs that read “LOVE” and “JUST TRY.”

A mole with a trumpet played notes off the beat,

While a squirrel made snacks and passed them on feet.

🕯 New Stanza 7.25 (Quiet Doubt)

Kindwing returned to his perch near the door,

Swept crumbs from the steps of the chapel floor.

He sighed—not in sorrow, but somewhere between—

And wondered if mercy would ever be seen.

🕊️ Stanza 8

For down in the moss, the meek creatures were stirred,

By verses of peace from a kind, creaky bird.

He spoke not in thunder, but stillness and care—

A feathered reminder: God’s love might be there.

👁 New Line – At End of Stanza 8 (Soft Reaction from Rook)

And Rook, from above, gave one blink—not quite shame,

But a twitch of a feather that softened his frame.

📣 Final Moral (Updated for Rhythm)

So if someone scolds you for tending the weak,

For changing old tunes, or for daring to speak,

Just smile like Kindwing and trust what is true—

Soft wings, when opened, can carry us through.

✍️ Why I Wrote This

In today’s world, acts of empathy are often twisted into signs of weakness, and compassion is branded as compromise. I wrote The Cardinal Who Cared Too Much as a gentle but sharp satire of how moral clarity can be mocked when it doesn’t come wrapped in thunder. Through the figure of Cardinal Kindwing, I wanted to show that real courage doesn’t always shout—it bends low, tends wounds, and lifts others with feathered grace.

This story responds directly to the criticism often aimed at leaders like Pope Francis, who are labeled “woke” for choosing welcome over judgment. In the forest, just like in our world, kindness threatens those clinging to rigid hierarchies. And yet it is kindness—not volume—that carries faith forward.

I hope children laugh at Sprig and the spiderweb scroll, while adults smile knowingly at Rook’s familiar bluster. But most of all, I hope this fable reminds readers that sometimes, the smallest perch holds the greatest power.

— Forest Moss

🍎 Note to Teachers

The Cardinal Who Cared Too Much is a whimsical woodland fable that opens a conversation about courage, kindness, and the quiet strength of inclusive leadership. While wrapped in rhyme and animal charm, the story touches on timely issues: How do we respond to change? What happens when compassion challenges tradition? And why is it so easy to mock empathy?

This fable provides:

• A gentle critique of exclusionary authority, using satire children can sense and adults can unpack.

• A faith-rooted defense of humility, grounded in action, not volume.

• An opportunity to discuss media labels like “woke” and how language is used to discredit virtue.

We encourage you to use this story to:

• Discuss tone, satire, and symbolism in fables.

• Explore character motivation: Why does Cardinal Kindwing keep helping, even when mocked?

• Invite personal reflection: What does kindness look like in power?

• Compare to religious or philosophical texts that emphasize inclusion, mercy, or servant leadership.

This story pairs well with lessons on:

• Fables and allegory (ELA)

• Social-emotional learning (SEL)

• Ethics and leadership

• Media and rhetoric (advanced)

Let your students explore:Is kindness still revolutionary? And if so—what kind of leader does the forest really need?