They say that in the old days the Khan of the Birds had no heir. And then he decided to adopt the owlet. The khan thought: it’s not without reason that the owlet’s eyes blaze with fire at night.
As soon as the owlet became the khan’s son, he immediately became lazy: he was idle all day long, only thinking about how to have a hearty meal and a sweet drink.
The winter was severely cold. Khan says to the owlet:
“I’ve never been so cold in my life!”
- What are you talking about, father! — the owlet said importantly. “I’ve seen even stronger frosts; I remember something like this happened: a man’s saliva froze in mid-flight, and a bull’s horns broke off! I myself barely escaped the cold; I then buried myself in the branches of a tree.
- Yes, it turns out you are much older than me! - the khan got angry. - And you pretend to be small. Get out! - And he kicked the deceiver out of the house.
Since then, the owl has no home of its own, and during the day it hides in the crown of a tree.
Some time passed, the Khan of the birds died, and the birds began to hold advice on who should be Khan now.
- Let the owl be the khan! Everyone knows her, and at night the owl’s eyes just glow and blaze! There will be a real Khan! - suggests the crane.
- This was not enough yet! - The crow was indignant. - The owl’s legs are crooked, the plumage is ugly! Yellow eyes! And the voice, the voice! "Wow" yes "wow"! What could be more disgusting? To erect such a monster on the Khan's throne?!
The birds listened to the crow and did not make the owl their khan. Since then, the owl and the crow have been sworn enemies. During the day the crow does not give rest to the owl, and at night the owl does not give rest to the crow.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru