“The Willow-Wren”
Sometime in the past, the birds had a
language that everyone understood.
One day, the birds decided that they
should have a king. So all the birds gathered including one small one that
didn’t have a name. They decided that whoever could fly the highest would be
the king. So they all took off and soon the eagle was way above everyone else.
Everyone was about to proclaim the eagle
king when the small unnamed bird – who had been hiding in the eagle’s feathers
– took off and flew higher. “I am king!” he cried.
The other birds didn’t care for this
trickery so they decided that whoever could get lowest on the ground would be
king. The other birds tried to dig themselves down, but the little nonamed bird
found a mouse hole and slipped inside, crying, “I am king!”
The other birds didn’t care for this, so
they set the owl to watch the mouse hole while they all went to bed.
Eventually, the owl fell asleep and the little bird was able to escape. Since
then the owl has stayed away from daylight because the other birds are still
angry with the owl. And sometimes the little bird still calls out “I am king!”
while he hides in the hedgerows.
#
I’m guessing the willow-wren makes a cry that
sounds like, “I am king!” and thus this little tale to explain it. Also why
owls stay out at night and like to hunt mice.
I guess this tale is a bit odd since the
hero is usually the one that outwits his fellows. But I guess that doesn’t work all the time.
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