FEATHERS FOR ALL All the birds were puzzled; "Why did the King-Of-The-Cuckoo-Birds call them for a get together under the banyan tree?" Some birds decided to go just out of curiosity and a lot of others just ignored and went about their daily lives. But surprise was in store for those who came. "Friends, welcome, I am glad that all of you came obliging to my humble request. We cuckoos have been collecting peacock feathers in our spare time and we use this to adorn
ourselves to look as beautiful as the peacocks and some others use this to decorate their homes and others use it as their fancy takes them."
"What has this got to do with us" asked an irritated one in the crowd.
"Have you bought us all to brag about yourselves?" thundered another angry bird. "No, no, friends, you have mistaken me. We have called you all to distribute the excess feathers that we have no use for and thought that some of you might want them." Saying this the King-Of-The-Cuckoo-Birds offered in his hand a beautiful bunch of feathers. But the assemblage was hesitant to accept it, and seeing their reluctance, "But you are free to refuse and in no obligation to receive. The choice is yours. And either way be my guest" smiled The King. All the birds were shocked with delight.
Some of them requested King-Of-The-Cuckoo-Birds to give them some, the rude ones grabbed from his hand and the shy ones stood thinking that he will hand it to them. And pretty soon all the feathers was distributed satisfactorily to the delighted crowd.
The birds who did not go were jealous, as the ones with the feathers showed them off in all manner possible; some taped it to the end of their feathers and walked
gracefully like a peacock. Some proud males even courted their mates with a dazzling peacock dance.
All in all, it became the latest craze in the forest. All the birds were surprised when they heard the news that the King-Of-TheCuckoo-Birds has again called them for a get together.
"Why?" wondered some. "Maybe to give us some more or maybe to ask us to return the feathers."
"You cannot take back a gift" said one clutching his peacock plumage.
"They never said it was a gift, you just assumed it was" An argument ensued furiously. Some who had the feathers decided to go and the possessive ones feared that they might lose theirs, decided not to go. The birds who had no feathers, had nothing to lose and much to gain, so they decided to go. "Welcome, my friends," greeted a smiling King, "Am I glad to see you all" "Why did you call for a get together?" an eager bird enquired, faking an annoyed tone to hide his great desire, "Please give me some peacock feathers", which was very obvious to others.
"Relax," said King-Of-The-Cuckoo-Birds, "I will not waste any more of your time. Here," saying which he offered the assembled crowd another beautiful bunch of peacock feathers. There was a mad rush to grab them; civility can be practiced later. Some birds were dejected as the party was over even before it began. "Have faith, my friends, here" and another bunch of beautiful feathers appeared in the hands of the King-Of-The-Cuckoo-Birds. "We cuckoos have been working very hard to collect the feathers that the peacock shed. And we delight in seeing a smile on your faces. Be free or better demand
from us to work harder, much harder, for nothing will please us more than to be of service to all."
"Thank you, thank you, thank you" said the ex-dejected birds profusely.
"If you need any help please ask for it and we will only be glad to oblige" said the amply pleased ex-dejected birds.
"If we ask something in return then it would be a trade and we derive no pleasure from such a system. Go forth and enjoy your possession" said a magnanimous King-Of-The-Cuckoo-Birds.
And from that day on there were only two species of birds, the Have's and the Have-Not's. The Have's were cheerful, elated, euphoric, contented, delighted, glad, and joyful. In short, all the synonyms in the dictionary for happy. And the Have-not's, well you guessed it. The birds were in shock when they heard the news that there has been a call for a get together by the King-Of-The-CuckooBirds, again. But this news was kept in secret, not to be thundered from the tree top, hushed only among friends, as no one wanted a mad rush for feathers.
But there was a huge gathering, much to the chagrin of the birds, as they did not know that if it were a secret then they would have not known about it in the first place. Sadly, logic was not in the repertoire of the birds.
"Friends, we cuckoos did or best to collect the peacock feathers. But the peacocks have become jealous seeing other birds as beautiful as them sporting their plumage and have become very stingy to shed them" And saying this handed over a small bunch to the assembled crowd, which was in a frenzy to get their share. The feathers were almost destroyed in the maddening milieu.
"I assure you that the next time it will be a bigger bunch of feathers, even if we
cuckoos have to go to the end of the world to collect them. But we face a small problem, if we decide to do that"
"What is it and please let us know if we could do anything to help you" said the King-Of-The-Disappointed-Birds emerging
exhausted from the free for all. "We will do anything within our powers" he pleaded. "Well, it is that, we spend much of our time collecting feathers and as the peacocks have become stingy, we have to double our efforts as before. If we do that, which I assure you that all cuckoos gladly partake, but some of them complained that they have no time to hatch and look after their young ones. So what are we to do?" posed a concerned King-Of-TheCuckoo-Birds. "That is not a problem at all," said the King-Of-The-Disappointed-Birds, "we anyway hatch and look after our young ones, and it would not be a problem to look after one more of yours." "Yes," nodded in agreement all the subjects of Disappointed-Republic. "No, that would not be fair" interjected the King-Of-The-Cuckoo-Birds.
Finally, it was decided after much convincing and cajoling the King-Of-The-CuckooBirds, that each cuckoo will lay one egg in the nest of other birds and in return the cuckoos have to work hard in collecting and distributing the peacock feathers. Every one went back happy with the pact. And as the days progressed, the peacocks became stinger and stingier, and soon enough, the other birds did not see the cuckoos at all, after the egg has been laid in their nest.
"Poor creatures they must be searching very hard. Damn! these peacocks for not sharing God's gift" lamented the birds, while taking good care of the cuckoo egg in their nest.
THE END