In one forest there lived a lazy cuckoo. And it so happened that the kite saw her.
-You sing great! - The kite praised the cuckoo. “I’m ready to listen to your singing from morning to evening.” .
“Thank you for your kind words,” she said! The cuckoo was satisfied and began to crow.
- Ku-ku, ku-ku, ku-ku!
- Great singing! Great singing! - exclaimed the kite. “Oh, if you would agree to live in my nest and at least occasionally delight my ears with your divine voice!”
- Don't listen to him, cuckoo! - shouted a parrot sitting on a palm tree. “You have nothing to do in his nest!”
- Stupid parrot! - the kite got angry. “He’s jealous that I invite you to live in my nest, and not him!”
- Don't listen to him, don't listen! - the parrot shouted again. “He will lure you into his nest and eat you!”
- Why do you say that? – the cuckoo was indignant. “You listened to me sing for many days in a row and never said a kind word to me.” But the kite heard it only once and immediately realized what a wonderful voice I have!
– I have never met such a pleasant voice! - the kite began again. “Move into my nest, and all the birds will envy you.”
“I don’t know if I can fly to your nest,” the cuckoo said sadly. – You seem to live very far away.
- Are you really going to fly to the kite?! - the parrot screamed in despair. – Have you forgotten that fire and water do not live together?
- Don't listen to the parrot! - the kite hissed. - Don't listen to him! You will live with me, and you will not have to work on your own nest. You won’t even have to worry about food: I will bring you worms, midges, fish, bugs...
“But really,” thought the cuckoo, “it’s very pleasant to do nothing: not build nests, not chase midges, not look for worms...”
And the kite continued:
- When you live in my nest, no one will dare to offend you. I will kill anyone who wants to harm you!
"Very good! - the cuckoo thought again. “All the birds will be afraid of me, they will fawn on me, envy my friendship with the kite.”
And, thinking so, she joyfully said:
- I agree! Let's fly!
- Unhappy! - the parrot shouted. - Come to your senses! No one will help you in the kite's nest!
But the cuckoo did not even turn around at these words and flew after the kite.
Soon she saw her new friend's large nest on the top of the rock. She sank into the nest and said contentedly:
- I really like it here. It's good that I didn't listen to the envious parrot!
- Of course, good! - confirmed the kite. “Wait for me here, and I’ll go hunting.” I've been hungry for a long time! The kite cuckoo waited a long time. The sun had already disappeared behind the mountains, but it was still not there. Finally the kite flew in, spread its wings and said angrily:
- I didn’t catch anything! It's your fault that I didn't catch anything!
- I? What are you, what are you! What is my fault? – the cuckoo was surprised.
The kite angrily flapped its wings and shouted:
- How dare you ask me questions? Since I say that you are guilty, that means you are guilty! And whoever doubts my words deserves death!
- Oh, Mr. Kite! – the cuckoo said in fear. “I didn’t mean to offend you at all.” Maybe it's really my fault.
- Of course, it’s my fault! Now I see that you are just a cheeky bird. Lounged in my nest, like at home. She sat down in the shade, and I have to suffer in the sun!
In fear, the cuckoo muttered:
- My lord! After all, it is evening, and the sun has long disappeared behind the mountains.
- Oh, you ungrateful one! So you think I'm a liar? I have never forgiven anyone for such an insult, and I won’t forgive you either! And, hitting the cuckoo with his wing, he killed it and ate it.
Having learned about the death of the cuckoo, the parrot turned its head sadly and said:
– A sloth who loves flattery will find trouble behind every bush and on every tree.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru