The Bird Pair and the Sea

Panchtantra Stories

The Bird Pair and the SeaThere once lived a pair of pheasants near a sea. They spent their time singing and dancing happily on the branches of the trees. One day, the female pheasant asked her husband to look for a safe place for her to lay eggs. The male pheasant replied, "My dear, the sea-side is the most enchanting place for you to lay eggs". The wife said, "When it is full moon, the Sea tide can wash away even wild elephants. Let us go elsewhere."  Amused, the husband said, "What you say is true. But the Sea has no power to harm us. Haven't you heard that there is no fool who could stop the flight of a bird or a fool who would enter fire recklessly. Will anyone be brash enough to challenge Yama (the Lord of Death) to take his life if he can? You can lay your eggs here only." Listening to this dialogue, the Sea thought, "How vain is this bird which is as small as a worm! Let me drown these eggs and see what he can do."  After laying eggs, the female bird went in search of food. In her absence, the Sea sent a wave that sucked the eggs into the waters. The female returned to the nest and, not finding the eggs there, told the husband, "You are a fool. I told you that the waves would wash away the eggs. Those who do not heed the good words of a friend will perish like the turtle who fell off the stick."  "What's that turtle and what is that stick?" asked the husband