Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman

There she learns that her romantic notions of George's adventures are false. Birdy decides to give Shaggy Beard's money to Robert so he can marry Aelis.īirdy runs off to Uncle George's. Aelis' father demands a higher bride price than Robert can afford. This pleases Robert, who is secretly in love with Aelis and plans to ask her to marry him. Aelis' father marries her off to a 9 year old boy, but her new husband soon dies. Saying that he 'enjoys the chase,' he gives Birdy a purse full of money, saying that she should spend it when she agrees to marry him. Birdy attempts to scare away the much older man, but Shaggy Beard finds her antics alluring. Rollo announces that Aislinn is pregnant again, much to the anger of Birdy, who fears that her mother will die in childbirth.Ī new suitor, Sir Henry Murgaw, arrives, and Birdy dubs him Shaggy Beard for his unkempt appearance.

George breaks Aelis' and Birdy's hearts by marrying Ethelfritha, a wealthy widow. Birdy discovers Aelis and George kissing, and breaks off her friendship with Aelis. Handsome Uncle George, with whom Birdy is smitten, soon returns from the crusades. Birdy's friend Aelis comes to stay with them. Unwilling to grow up and lose her freedom, Birdy begins chasing off potential suitors through strange and off-putting antics. Aislinn gives birth to a stillborn child, the latest of several such tragedies. When Birdy starts her first period, Morwenna shows her how to deal with it and Rollo begins seriously looking for suitors. The indulgent Rollo is informed that the family finances are in terrible shape and that he can solve them by wedding Birdy to a wealthy suitor. The headstrong and rambunctious Birdy is attended by her loyal servant Morwenna, and is friends with a peasant boy named Perkin who often joins in her antics. Her other brother Edward is a monk at a nearby monastery. It received a limited release on Septemby Amazon Studios, prior to streaming on Prime Video on October 7, 2022.Ĭatherine, known as Birdy, is a 14-year-old Englishwoman living in 13th-century Lincolnshire with her father Rollo, her mother Aislinn, and 17-year-old brother Robert. It had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 12, 2022.

It stars Bella Ramsey as the title character, alongside Billie Piper, Andrew Scott, Lesley Sharp, Joe Alwyn, and Sophie Okonedo. Catherine Called Birdy is a 2022 medieval comedy film written and directed by Lena Dunham, based on the 1994 novel of the same name by Karen Cushman.

Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman