We had a transom over the door of our "front room" in my childhood home. I can't remember if it was glorified in any way by designs painted or etched. What did give it distinction was the sound it emitted when the wind blew strongly - a hoarse, wild-sounding blare. It was most startling to a stranger, but to us kids, it was intriguing. We called it the fish-horn for some reason.
More than the sound, was the feeling of security it gave me. I imagined all sorts of wild scenarios out there in the stormy night as the wind howled around us. But inside we were circled in comfort, warm, dry and usually in the midst of a spirited family game or deep in the heart of a book.
Fish-horns are good, occasionally, to alert us to danger, but more importantly to underline what is keeping us safe.
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