As soon as the pelican went in search of food, the viper sitting in ambush immediately crawled, stealthily, towards its nest. The fluffy chicks slept peacefully, not knowing anything. The snake crawled close to them. Her eyes flashed with an ominous gleam - and the reprisal began.
Having received a fatal bite each, the serenely sleeping chicks never woke up. Satisfied with what she had done, the villainess crawled into hiding to enjoy the bird’s grief to the fullest.
Soon the pelican returned from hunting. At the sight of the brutal massacre committed against the chicks, he burst into loud sobs, and all the inhabitants of the forest fell silent, shocked by the unheard-of cruelty.
“I can’t live without you now!” - the unfortunate father lamented, looking at the dead children. - Let me die with you!
And he began to tear his chest with his beak, right to the heart. Hot blood gushed out in streams from the open wound, sprinkling the lifeless chicks.
Losing his last strength, the dying pelican cast a farewell glance at the nest with the dead chicks and suddenly shuddered in surprise. Oh miracle! His shed blood and parental love brought the dear chicks back to life, snatching them from the clutches of death. And then, happy, he gave up the ghost.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru