Whistle Down the Wind
The plot follows the lives of three Lancashire farm children who discover a fugitive hiding in their barn. The bearded man, referred to as "Blakey" by the police, is mistaken for Jesus Christ by the children, who are heavily influenced in this belief by stories they have heard told at Sunday school and by an initial exclamation of "Jesus Christ!" the eldest child hears shouted in shock by the fugitive at nightfall when she accidentally discovers him taking refuge in the family barn. The fugitive—initially confused as to the determination of the three Bostock children to protect him from any adult discovery—makes no attempt to correct their mistake, especially when he discovers the eldest child, Kathy, is determined to protect him at any means from discovery by the local police, despite the fact posters circulated within the town reveal that he is in fact wanted for murder.
Most of the children in the nearby small town eventually become aware that "Jesus" is living in the barn, complicating Kathy's attempt at keeping it a secret. When the news finally reaches an adult, Kathy's father, the police are called in to apprehend the criminal.
The children of the village, perhaps 100 of them by now in on the secret, converge on the barn. Convinced that she has let Jesus down, Kathy sneaks behind the structure and apologizes to Blakey that she can no longer protect him. He forgives the girl and, after much prompting from Kathy, promises she will see him again. Resigned to his fate, Blakey tosses his revolver out of the barn door and surrenders to the police.
Once Blakey is taken away and the crowd disperses, Kathy is approached by two very young children who ask to see Jesus. She tells them that they missed him this time, but he will be back one day.
allegory, murder