A Tale of Two Birds

1. Key points

   A Bird and Her Babies: In a forest, there was a bird with two baby birds. They lived in a nest in a tall tree, and the mother bird took care of them.

   Storm and Tragedy: One day, a big storm hit the forest. The tree with their nest fell down because of the strong wind. Sadly, the mother bird died when a heavy branch hit the nest, but the baby birds were blown away by the wind to different parts of the forest.

   Different Destinations: The two baby birds landed in different places. One ended up near a cave where robbers lived, and the other landed near the home of a wise man called a rishi.

   Encounters with the King: Later, the baby birds grew up into big birds. One day, the king of the country got lost in the forest while hunting. He first encountered a bird near the robbers' cave, and then he found another bird near the rishi's ashram.

   Different Behaviors: The bird near the robbers' cave tried to trick the king into danger by pretending to call for help but actually planning to rob him. However, the bird near the rishi's ashram welcomed the king kindly and guided him to rest.

   Lesson Learned: The king told the wise man about the two birds and how they behaved differently. The wise man explained that birds' behavior reflected the company they kept. The bird near the robbers learned bad things from them, while the other bird near the ashram learned kindness.

   Moral of the Story: The wise man taught that the company we keep influences our behavior, and it's important to choose good friends who influence us positively.

2. Exercise

   How did the two baby birds get separated?

   The two baby birds got separated because of a big storm that hit the forest where they lived with their mother. The strong wind blew down the tall tree where their nest was located. The wind blew the baby birds in different directions, carrying them away to different parts of the forest. One landed near a cave where robbers lived, and the other landed near the home of a wise man called a rishi. So, the storm caused the separation of the baby birds.

   Where did each of them find a home?

   After they were separated by the storm, each of the baby birds found a different place to call home:

   One of the baby birds landed near a cave where a gang of robbers lived. This bird made its home near the robbers' cave.

   The other baby bird landed outside a rishi’s ashram, which is a place where wise men live and teach. This bird found a home near the ashram of the wise man.

   What did the first bird say to the stranger?

   The first bird, which landed near the cave where the robbers lived, said something alarming to the stranger. It pretended to call for help, saying, “Quick! Hurry up! There’s someone under the tree. Come and take his jewels and his horse. Hurry, or else he’ll slip away.” This was a trick to lure the stranger into danger so that the robbers could rob him.

   What did the second bird say to him?

   The second bird, which landed near the rishi's ashram, greeted the stranger kindly. It said, "Welcome to the ashram, Sir. Please go inside and rest. The rishi will be back soon. There’s some cold water in the pot. Please make yourself comfortable." This bird showed hospitality and welcomed the stranger to the ashram, offering him a place to rest and some water.

   How did the rishi explain the different ways in which the birds behaved?

   The rishi explained that the behavior of the two birds was influenced by the company they kept. He pointed out that one bird had made friends with robbers and had learned their ways, while the other bird lived near the ashram and had learned kindness and hospitality from the wise people there. So, the rishi suggested that the bird near the robbers imitated them and talked about robbing people because that's what it learned from its companions. On the other hand, the bird near the ashram learned to welcome people and be kind from the company of the wise and good-hearted people who lived there.

   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.

   The statement that best sums up the story is:

   (ii) One is known by the company one keeps.

   This statement reflects the central theme of the story, which is that the behavior of the birds was influenced by the company they kept. One bird learned kindness and hospitality because it lived near a wise man, while the other bird learned bad behavior from the robbers it associated with.

3. Important Words and their meaning

   Words	Image	Meaning	Collins	Cambridge
   Nest		A structure made by a bird for laying eggs and sheltering its young.	[Click here]	[Click here]
   Forest		A large area covered mainly with trees and plants.	[Click here]	[Click here]
   Thunder		The loud noise heard from the sky during a storm.	[Click here]	[Click here]
   Lightning		A sudden flash of light in the sky during a storm, caused by electrical discharge.	[Click here]	[Click here]

4. Phrasal Verb and their meaning

   Came down: landed or arrived at a place.

   Got off: dismounted from a horse or vehicle.

   Looked up: directed your eyes upwards.

   Rode after: followed the deer while riding his horse.

   Rode on: continued riding.

   Rode away: to depart on horseback, especially quickly.

   Sat down: took a seat.

   Slip away: king's potential escape from the robbers.

5. Sentence Fun:

   • Simple Sentence: A simple sentence contains just one independent clause, which means it has one subject and one predicate. Example:
   • The sun shines.
   • Compound Sentence: A compound sentence contains two or more independent clauses joined by coordinating conjunctions like "and", "but", or "or". Example:
   • The sun shines, and the birds sing.
   • Complex Sentence: A complex sentence contains one independent clause and at least one dependent clause, which cannot stand alone as a complete sentence.. Example:
   • After it rained, the sun came out.