The Sparrow Knew – A Parable

Once in a village there was this farmer tilling his land from dawn to dusk.

His hard work was amply rewarded as the crops thrived and in time, laden with grains, ready for harvesting.

In the middle of the field a sparrow had built its nest. And by now with its brood of two little chicks.

One day when their mother was away, the little sparrows overheard the farmer telling his son: ‘We’ll begin the harvest from tomorrow early morning. I’ve called in our neighbours.’

When the mother returned in the evening, the alarmed chicks related the conversation and said they should move right away.

The mother becalmed the chicks: ‘Yes, we must move, but not yet, there’s time, I assure you.’

Next day morning,

Like the mother sparrow said the harvest did not begin.

During the day, once again, the little sparrows overheard the farmer telling his son: ‘Son, get ready, we’ll commence harvesting from tomorrow early morning. Our relatives have promised to help.’

In the evening when the mother heard from its chicks, she was unperturbed. ‘Not yet,’ she said.

The following morning,

There was no move to towards beginning the harvesting.

On this day, the farmer told his son: ‘Tomorrow, keep yourself free and ready. You and I – we’ll do it ourselves.’

In the evening, the mother and her chicks flew away to find a new home.

End

Source: moral stories and image from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Paws)

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What You See Is Not What You Get

The weather was threatening to turn for the worse accompanied by lightning and thunder dazzling the sky with their fireworks. The trees were swaying perilously to heavy winds.

A little sparrow struggling to hold itself aloft approached a large tree standing on the banks of a river seeking shelter.

The tree refused point-blank asking it to go somewhere else, all its pleas falling on deaf ears.  Thereupon the dejected sparrow went up to another tree that was located some distance away. The second tree obliged, taking the bird under its wings and ending its search.

Shortly after, the clouds unloaded their goods with a ferocity that caused the river to swell in no time and break its banks.  The deluge washed away the ground soil causing the trees standing on the banks to topple.

The sparrow was saddened to see the nay-saying tree falling down and being swept away mercilessly by the raging water currents.

The tree too spotted the sparrow on a safe perch just in time to utter these words before disappearing from sight: ‘This was certain to happen. Now you know…’

End

 

 

 

Source: facebook.com/shasty.rathnam