A Tale of Two Birds

Exercise

1. How did the two baby-birds get separated?
Ans: The two baby birds lived in a tall tree with their mother. One day a big storm blew. The tree came down. The mother bird was killed. The strong wind blew the two chicks away to the other side of the forest at a little distance from each other. Thus they got separated from each other.
2.Where did each of them find a home?
Ans: One of the young birds came down near a cave. A gang of robbers lived there. The other bird landed outside the ashram of a rishi at a little distance.
3.What did the first bird say to the stranger?
Ans: The first bird saw the stranger (the King). He called the robbers to hurry up and rob the man of his jewels and his horse. Indirectly he asked the stranger to leave the place at once.
4. What did the second bird say to him?
Ans: The second bird welcomed the king to the ashram. He requested the stranger to drink water, take rest and make himself comfortable. He added that his brother lived in the company of robbers, so he talked like them.
5. How did the rishi explain the different ways in which the two birds behaved?
Ans: The king told the rishi about the different behaviour of the two birds. The rishi explained that the first bird repeated the words of the robbers. The second bird repeated what he had always heard at the ashram. Their different ways were the results of their company.
6. Which one of the following sums up the story best?
(i) A bird in hand is worth two in the bush.
(ii)One is known by the company one keeps.
(iii)A friend in need is a friend indeed.
Ans: (ii) One is known by the company one keeps.