The Fable of the Sparrow

Yesterday, I closed by promising to write down one of my favorite fables. I heard it years ago and do not know who wrote the original, or I would credit them. It makes me laugh and is appropriate to my week so far and so I'm sharing it. Here it is.


Once there was a small sparrow. He lived a good life, eating what he wanted, building nests to his liking, and flying where he pleased. He was completely free to do as he wished except for one thing.

Every spring he had to return to his summer home in the north, and every fall he had to fly south for the winter. He did not mind flying north, the winds were in his favor, and he liked the cool, spring breezes under his wings.

Flying south for the winter was a different story. The winds fought him all the way down and it was a pain in the tail feathers. After a long summer of doing the things that sparrows do, he was always worn out. He HATED flying south for the winter.

This particular year had been unseasonably warm. As the time approached when he should be leaving for the south, the weather remained nice. The leaves did not turn, and there was no crisp chill in the morning air to push him southward. Yet the calender said that it was time to go and the rest of the sparrows began making their preparations.

"I've had enough migration for a lifetime", the sparrow told his closest friend. "Al Gore has told me the world is getting warmer and it certainly appears true to me. Tell me why should I go through all that work if it's going to be nice here? I'm staying."

The friend did not try to argue with the little sparrow, he simply shook his feathers in disbelief and turned his tail to the South.

For a week the little sparrow had a wonderful time. It was still very nice, and with all the other sparrows gone, there was plenty to eat and many fine nests left for him to sleep in. It was paradise.

Then the weather began to turn. The leaves fell from the trees and the winds began to howl at night. The little sparrow was not discouraged, he was tough and a bit of cold would not kill him.

Then one night the rains came. It was a drenching, freezing, downpour that left the sparrow shivering and cold even though he was tucked into his finest, driest nest.

With the morning came the frost and the sparrow knew that he had made an awful mistake. Putting away his pride, he made hasty arrangements to head south.

Sadly, it was too late. As he began his journey, another freezing rain fell and coated his wings with ice and pulled him to the ground. He half fell, half landed on a small dirt road that ran through a cow pasture in a small stand of trees.

His wings felt as though he were stuck in a briar patch and his body ached horribly. His feet were coated with ice, and the little bird knew he was about to die.

Just as things were as bad as they could possibly be and he was ready to surrender to oblivion, a cow wandered over to where the bird lay. There was a roar like thunder, and a heavy weight nearly crushed the sparrow.

"Oh, no!" the sparrow cried. "Here I am about to die, and to add insult to my injury, this cow has covered me in excrement. What else could possibly go wrong?"

Then something marvelous happened. The sparrow noticed that though the smell was terrible, the cow pie was very warm. His wings began to thaw and he knew that his troubles were over. He could wait until he was thawed and the storm had passed, and then he would continue his journey south.

Overcome with emotion, the little sparrow did what sparrows do when they are happy. He began to sing. As loudly and joyfully as he had ever sang, he chirped away a message of gratitude to his friend the cow. He was saved!

At the same time, a cat was prowling through the woods on his way home. He heard the singing of the sparrow and went to investigate. When he saw the half thawed sparrow singing in the cow pie he quickly pounced. He pulled the tasty morsel from the pie, cleaned him up a bit, and devoured him.


Cheery story, huh?

If you have read it carefully, you will find there are five morals to be learned. They are as follows:

1)Never procrastinate the things you know you should be doing. If you should be flying south, fly south. If you have homework, do homework.

2)Never plan any part of your life around what Al Gore says. Just because he says it doesn't make it so.

3)Not everyone who craps on you is your enemy.

4)Not everyone who pulls you out of the crap is your friend.

5)If you are safe and warm and buried in crap, SHUT UP!!!