THE BEAUTIFUL BIRDS
Two young and pretty parrots were seated on
the topmost branch of a tree. They started a quarrel. Each one claimed that he
was more beautiful than the other. They argued angrily and were about to attack
each other physically. Then they heard an affectionate call from a lower branch
of the same tree.
A cunning cat was seated there, watching the conflict carefully with intense
interest. He tried to console the birds with his apparently pleasing words.
"Do not fight, my dear birds", he told them. "I will tell you
who is more beautiful. We will have a beauty contest. I will be your judge.
Please come close to me so that I can examine you clearly and pronounce my just
judgment."
Excited on hearing this offer, the foolish birds moved towards the cat.
They were blind with envy and enmity and could not realize the real aim of the
cunning cat. Suddenly the mother parrot reached the scene. She sensed the imminent
danger and immediately pushed the young parrots away. She gave a stern warning
to them to fly away. Seated safely on the highest branch, she convinced the
parrots that the cat was actually planning to pounce on them and eat them as
soon as they came near him. They realized their mistake and breathed a sigh of
relief. They thanked their mother for arriving in time to save them. They were
really sorry for losing their senses by their ignorance and arrogance. The mother
drew them close to her body and told them affectionately, "Listen,
children, both of you are equally beautiful. Try to love and appreciate each
other. No one wins by an argument."
Jesus taught that real beauty is a
gift of God: "Look how the wild flowers grow: they do not work or make
clothes for themselves. But I tell you that not even King Solomon with all his
wealth had clothes as beautiful as one of these flowers. It is God who clothes
the wild grass.."{Matthew 6:
28-30}.
St. Peter teaches us, "You should not use outward aids to make
yourselves beautiful, such as the way you do your hair, or the jewellery you
put on, or the dresses you wear. Instead, your beauty should consist of your true inner self, the ageless beauty of a
gentle and quiet spirit, which is of the greatest value in God's sight" {1 Peter 3: 3, 4}.
.........................................................................................................
© By: Dr. Babu Philip, Professor, Cochin University of
Science & Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi-682016, Kerala, India, Prof.
Mrs. Rajamma Babu, Former Professor, St. Dominic's College, Kanjirappally and
Leo. S. John, Maniparambil, Ooriyakunnath, Kunnumbhagom, Kanjirappally,
Kottayam-686507, Kerala, India.
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