452- The Foolish Man and the Wise Bird

A strange bird fell in the hands of a hunter. The bird spoke to the hunter, who in shock asked the bird, “do you speak our language?”

“I know many languages,” the bird answered, “and God has granted me wisdom, so do you want me to offer you three wise sayings which will help you throughout your life?”

“Yes, I’d appreciate your wisdom very much.”

“I’ll offer you these after you promise to let me free.”

“I promise and will fulfill my promise.”

“Here are the three sayings, if you keep them you will succeed and will be saved from every disaster in your life.

The first is, never regret a good deed you have done.

The second is, don’t believe he who is not trustworthy.

The third is, don’t ask to receive what is impossible.

The man let the bird free as he had promised. The bird opened its wings joyfully and flew away. He stood on top of a tree and called the hunter saying, “O foolish hunter how did you let me go? You’ve just lost the greatest treasure in the world. I carry inside me a precious priceless stone. It carries a magical power through which I obtained the wisdom I possess.”

The hunter was furious for losing that precious gem and determined to catch the bird and kill it to possess that precious stone. The hunter started to climb the tree with great difficulty until he reached about halfway. Then, he fell and broke his bone and began to scream in pain.

At that time, the bird looked at him and in derision said to him, “What a foolish hunter you are! I offered you wisdom but you didn’t wish to learn anything at all.

First, I asked you never to regret a good deed you had done; and here you have regretted letting me free.

Second, I asked you not to believe him who is not trustworthy. However, you believed a bird mocking at you and pretending to carry a magical stone, the matter that no mind can accept.

Not even the third saying of wisdom have you fulfilled, that is never to ask to receive what is impossible. You climbed a tree to catch a free flying bird standing on top of a tree!

You haven’t benefited from the words of wisdom. I’m sad because of your foolishness. Many human beings are truly foolish!””

→ English translation of the story here at St-Takla.org: الرجل الأحمق والطائر الحكيم.

The Young Mouse and his Grandfather’s Advice

Short Stories (Stories for the Youth) Books by Father Tadros Yacoub Malaty

The Head and the Tail