THE TREE OF HAPPINESS
THE TREE OF HAPPINESS
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| THE TREE OF HAPPINESS |
In a large, beautiful garden, filled with bushes and flowers, stood a tall tree.
Its branches spread out laden with sweet fruit and fragrant flowers, and it cast a wide shadow under its boughs. All of these things made it the most beautiful tree in the garden. All the birds loved the tree. They would fly around it and build their nests in it. The tree was good to all who sought protection from it, enjoyed its beauty, or played around it.
Flocks of birds sought refuge with this huge tree, making their homes in the shade of its leaves, and building their nests in its branches.
They enjoyed their life twittering and flitting about in the tree, and eating its fruits. It was a happy life. They would go out in the mornings from the tree and look for food and return at night without fail to their nests in their beautiful tree, no matter how far they had strayed during the day.
The birds lived in their beloved home cooperating and helping each other, the larger birds watching over the smaller ones, the stronger ones helping the weaker. If one grew to old to search for food, the other would share their food with him out of the goodness of their hearts. In the shade of this happy families of birds. Every member of the family did his part in love and togetherness. The mother birds sat on the eggs tenderly and loving. The father birds were out all day searching for food, and would come home tired every night with his beak full of food for their families.
This happy tree the attention of all the birds nesting in the trees around it. They would fly all around it and circle in the air above it. They were so happy with the tree that they named it "The tree of happiness." The birds of the tree were happy with this name and they kept twittering and chirping in the branches. Nor did their helpfulness end inside of their home in the tree, but they helped every one of the neighboring birds whenever they need it.
One day an old crow came fleeing to the tree of happiness seeking refuge. He told his tale weeping, "A sly fox raided my nest, demolished it, ate my young, and injured my wings. I am sick and have no place to go, no family, and no relatives, because the fox drove them off the way he drove me off."
The old crow began to cry even more. He asked the little birds to take pity on him and said, "Let me stay with you in your beautiful home. I will be good guest amongst you."
One of the birds counseled the others, "We do not want a stranger in our tree to spoil our happiness."
The other said, "There is nothing wrong with inviting this poor bird, who has been driven out of his home. We must help him."
The crow continued, "I will build a nest on a low branch, far away from you so that I will be no bother, and I will keep quiet and will only stay for a while before I return to my own home."
The bird counseled together and decided to allow the crow to stay until he regained his health.
All the birds participated in building a fine nest of feathers and straw for their unfortunate guest, which they build on a leafy branch near to their own. Then they all completed with each other to find the best food for him until his health improved.
And this is how the crow was set up in the tree of happiness amongst the little birds, who never lost a moment in serving him, talking care of him, and watching over him. They never tired of helping him and they always treated him with the utmost respect and affection.
The days went by and the crow lived a life of ease in the tree of happiness, enjoying its shade and its fruits and the honor of his neighbours and hosts the little birds. He began to grow very fond of them, and they felt the same for him. They never asked him about the time he might leave their house and return to his own home. They did not wish to hurt his feelings, and it is not proper that a host asks his guest when he will leave.
One day, the little birds were surprised to find many new nests built near the nest of their guest the crow. When they asked about the owners of the new nests, they learned that it was a group of crows.
The crow had invited them to come and build nest near him without asking permission of the birds. The birds grew angry and asked themselves, "How can be allow himself to invite his friends here without first asking permission?" So they asked the crow to explain the presence of this large number of new nests in their tree, which had appeared without their leave.
The crow was apologetic and answered meekly,
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| THE TREE OF HAPPINESS |
"They are my friends and colleagues, who have asked for my protection and help. I acted as if I were in my own house. Please excuse ma, we will leave in a few days. Please accept my friends into your hospitality far a very short while until we build nests in some other place."
So, in spite of their annoyance at the behavior of the crow, and the brother of these unwelcome guest, the birds remained silent and waited to see if after a few days the crows would really leave, as their guest had promised, or whether there would be some new surprise.
The birds waited patiently. But each day saw the addition of new nests, and the tree of happiness became depressing and drab to look upon.
The air was full of the cawing of crows, and the joy of the birds turned into pain and grief. The crows grew saucier and began to order the birds about.
"Do not come near to our nests."
"Do not twitter among our branches."
"Do not build your nests on our side of the tree of happiness."
"This is our property. If you do not obey our orders, we will kick you out of the tree!"
The birds counseled together and decided, "We must find a solution to this problem."
The birds agreed to band together and to rely upon their wits, trusting in Allah for victory, for they were in the right.
One cold and stormy night in winter the crows were huddled in their nests trying to keep out of the bitter cold. The wind shook the branches of the tree violently and the hearts of the crows shook with fear and they huddled further down in their nests.
This was the chance the birds had agreed upon.
The waited for a sign. Finally came a series of short whistles, which signaled the beginning of the battle.
The birds swooped boldly down on the crows. They divided into groups, and each group chose one crow to attack from all sides, pecking at his eyes without letup.
The crows left their nests in the branches of the tree screaming in pain and fright and fled far away from the attack of birds.
Thus granted victory to the little birds. They had the right to defend their home.
Because of their uniting together in council, their careful planning, and their sincere love of their homeland, singing returned to the branches of the tree of happiness. The little birds danced about with joy, in the sweetness of victory, the beauty of freedom, and the joy of independence.
