Two young and pretty parrots were seated on
the topmost branch of a tree. They started a quarrel. Each one claimed that he
was more beautiful than the other. They argued angrily and were about to attack
each other physically. Then they heard an affectionate call from a lower branch
of the same tree.
A cunning cat was seated there, watching the conflict carefully with intense
interest. He tried to console the birds with his apparently pleasing words.
"Do not fight, my dear birds", he told them. "I will tell you
who is more beautiful. We will have a beauty contest. I will be your judge.
Please come close to me so that I can examine you clearly and pronounce my just
judgment."
Excited on hearing this offer, the foolish birds moved towards the cat.
They were blind with envy and enmity and could not realize the real aim of the
cunning cat. Suddenly the mother parrot reached the scene. She sensed the
imminent danger and immediately pushed the young parrots away. She gave a stern
warning to them to fly away. Seated safely on the highest branch, she convinced
the parrots that the cat was actually planning to pounce on them and eat them
as soon as they came near him. They realized their mistake and breathed a sigh
of relief. They thanked their mother for arriving in time to save them. They
were really sorry for losing their senses by their ignorance and arrogance. The
mother drew them close to her body and told them affectionately, "Listen,
children, both of you are equally beautiful. Try to love and appreciate each
other. No one wins by an argument."
Real beauty is not made by the use of outward
aids such as the costly cosmetics we may apply, the way we do our hair, or the
jewellery we put on, or the dresses we wear. Instead, true beauty consists of our
true inner self, the innocence of our character
which is of the greatest value in God's sight.
........................................................................................................
© By Dr. Babu Philip, Professor, Cochin University
of Science & Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi-682016, Kerala, India, Prof. Mrs. Rajamma Babu, Former Professor, St. Dominic's
College, Kanjirappally, Leo. S. John, St. Antony's Public School,
Anakkal, Kanjirappally and Neil John, Maniparambil, Ooriyakunnath,
Kunnumbhagom, Kanjirappally, Kottayam-686507, Kerala, India.
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