The Brave Little Parrot

Long ago, in an ancient bamboo forest, lived a tiny parrot. He spent his days alongside the other birds and animals of the forest.

One dry afternoon, a sharp bolt of lightning struck a dead tree trunk. The sparks caught fire, and soon it turned into a terrifying wildfire.

Seeing the danger, the little parrot escaped high into the clear sky, flying to the safety of the nearby river. But as he looked back from the river, he saw his home burning and heard the helpless cries of the animals trapped there.

Instead of escaping, the little parrot made a brave choice. The parrot plunged into the cool waters of the river and soaked his feathers until they were heavy with moisture. The parrot then flew back to the heavy smoke and fire and vigorously shook his wings, dropping tiny sprinkles of water into the flames.

High above, in the celestial realms, Sakka, the king of the Gods, looked down from his palace and saw the burning forest and the little parrot working tirelessly to put out the fire.

Wanting to test the bird's resolve, Sakka transformed himself into a majestic golden eagle and flew down towards the parrot. “What are you doing, you foolish little bird?” The Eagle told the parrot. “Your feathers are scorched and your eyes are burning. Your efforts are hopeless! A few drops of water cannot extinguish a raging forest fire. So save yourself before you burn.”

The parrot, however, did not stop. It turned to the eagle and replied. “Do not discourage me. I need help, not discouragement. The forest is burning and my friends are trapped. I am doing what I can to save them.”

Taken aback, Sakka was moved to tears. The divine tears of Sakka poured down from heaven as a torrential rain. The rain doused the flames and soon the forest fire was put out completely.

As the smoke cleared, the parrots' singed feathers transformed into a brilliant red, green, and blue, which was meant to be a permanent mark of honour for the little parrot’s extraordinary courage.

So do not measure your worth by your size or strength for even the smallest act of courage can ignite extraordinary change.

Adapted from the Jataka Tales