One day a bird I know fell in love with a fish. The bird was meant to fly high and the fish swims in deep waters. The fish will die if he is pulled out of waters and the bird if she doesn’t fly… there will be no purpose to her life. So, the million dollar question was “How do they meet?”
An African proverb has it, “A fish and a bird may fall in love…but the two cannot build a home together.”
Curious about what happened in real life?
Blinded by love, the bird answered “What if, I build a nest near to the pond you are living in. What if, you swim and I follow you. May it be a pond, lake, river, the oceans, wherever. What if, I drink and bathe in the water you live in. Will that not be the purest form of love? Even if you decide to be a fish in someone’s fishbowl, let me be the bird in their cage. All I wish is to see your smiling face, steal a kiss or two and be with you till death do us apart. All you have to do is Just Stay! Because if you love me the same way I do. I will make a way to be with you.” and the fish chose life!
The bird was determined that this time its love. Ready to give up its freedom of flight the bird built a nest on the tree near the pond. For a mere glance of its love the bird would wait for days. The fish would sometimes come and sometimes not but the bird never gave up. She saw from a distance how the fish would swim, how he would be happy to make a swinging dive and the ripples it creates on the surface of the pond. The bird would sing entire day in a belief that the song would reach the heart of the fish and someday it might melt again. The bird stuck at one place, grew weaker day by day and the strength of her wings got frail.
Winters broke, seasons went by. One fine day it rained. It poured cats and dogs, water everywhere. When other birds were finding stronger shelters, our little bird sat there on the branch singing its heart out for her beloved fish. She was sure that her death will take her to the depths to her lover and this might be the ultimate union. The bird thought that might be this was the only way her soul will be free again.
The rains wouldn’t stop, the little nest did not stand a chance against the heavy rains and while it fell in the raging water it took the bird along. The bird was showing no sign of slightest attempt to get off the waters. Her wings were drenched when suddenly she heard a screaming. A strong bird on the other side was continuously throwing strong twigs for our bird. He peaked her by the wings and missed. the current was too strong and he was trying hard to get our birdie off the water, to save it from death. He flew high got another twig and again threw it in water. Again, flew high and repeated it endlessly when suddenly he got her attention. The bird saw in his eyes the deepest efforts someone has ever done to save her and that too risking his own life.
Our bird who showed no signs of fighting for her life, gathered all her courage and tried to pull herself out of the water, the wings were weak and drenched. One last time, she turned around and looked for the fish but couldn’t see him anywhere near. The bird trying to save her kept on screaming and gathering twigs with utmost zeal to make her survive. So, she tried again and failed but she tried again. She wanted to try again for this strange bird who was ready to die for her and she made that final effort as he grabbed her by her wings and they flied together looking for a dry land.
An year later, our birds now have a new nest deep in the forest away from the pond. They sing together, the same song and listen to what they have to say. They are very much in love. There is just one life for each one of us and “to be loved” by someone is the only happy ending for the story
