THE INDIAN BIRD

A merchant kept a bird in a cage. He was going to India, the land from which the bird came, and asked it whether he could bring anything back from for it. The bird asked for freedom, but was refused. So he asked the merchant to visit a jungle in India and announce his captivity to the free birds who were there. The merchant did so, and no sooner had he has spoken when a wild bird, just like his own, fell senseless out of a tree on the ground. The merchant thought that this must be a relative of his own bird, and fell sad that he could have caused this death.
When he got home, the bird asked him whether he had brought good news for him. "No," said the merchant. i fear that my news is bad. One of your relations collapsed and fell at my feet when I mentioned your captivity." As soon as these words were spoken the merchant's bird collapsed and fell to the bottom of the cage. " The news of his kinsman's death has killed him, too," thought the merchant. Sorrowfully he picked up the bird and put it on the windowsill. At once the bird revived and flew to a nearby tree. " Now you know," the bird said, " that what you thought was a disaster was in fact good news for me. And how the message, the suggestion of how to behave in order to free myself, was transmitted to my through you, my captor." And he flew away, free at last.

TALES OF THE DERVISHES,
IDRIES SHAH, 1967