60 - Tale
of the Water-Fowl and the Tortoise
Shaharzaad
said - "O King, This story has been told by truthful people, that a
bird, a water-fowl, flew high in the sky and perched on a rock in the
midst of water which was running. As he sat over it, the current of the
water carried a skeleton of a man to him. The fowl examined it and found
that it was a body of a human being and stuck on the rock. He saw a sign
of spear and a sign of a sword on his body. He thought that maybe
this man was an evildoer and that is why some people put him to death and
now they were at peace.
As he
was thinking thus, that a vulture and some other big birds came down on
him. Seeing them coming the fowl thought that he could no longer stay
there, so he flew from there to a place from where he could see what was
happening. So he came to a river with a tree in the midst of it. He
perched on that tree and was sad to leave his birthplace. He thought that
sorrows are following me continuously. First I saw the body, I thought I
could eat it, but then those big birds came to eat it. How can I save
myself from this misfortune? Then I had to leave my native place and come here
in a strange place.
As he
was thinking thus, a male tortoise descended in the river and approaching
the fowl, greeted him - "O Lord, What has brought you here in this
far place?" The fowl replied - "Some enemies came there and the
wise say that one should not live where one's enemies live." The
tortoise said - "If this is so, then I will not leave you alone in
any way and I will be standing all the time before you, so that I am
always there if you need me anytime. I hope that you will approve my
company because I will be your servant. Don't be sad because it spoils
the life." And the two talked for a while until the fowl said -
"I always fear the shifting of Time."
The
tortoise came near him, kissed him between his eyes and said to him -
"The birds will always be finding wisdom in your words. He went on
comforting the fowl till he was reassured that the fowl felt safe there.
Then the fowl flew to the place where he came from and found that those
big birds were gone, they had eaten everything from the human body and only
his bones remained. He
came back to the tortoise and told him that the enemies had gone from
there and now he wanted to return to his home to be with his own
people.
So
they both went there and found no fear so they started living on that
island happily. When they were enjoying life there, suddenly a hungry
falcon hit the fowl's belly and killed him. Now the cause of his death was
the neglect of formula of praise. It is said that his form of adoration
was as follows - "Praised be Lord that He orders and ordains,
and praise be Lord who enriches and impoverish." This was the end of
the water-fowl."
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