|| A folktale from Turkey ||
One day a man was hunting in the forest. He set a net and spread some grains on it as a trap for birds, squirrels and wild rabbits. Then he took his gun and set out to hunt deer. After sometime when he returned, he saw a swallow stuck in the net.
He caught the bird and was about to kill it when the swallow spoke, ” Oh kind man! Before you kill me, hear me out. It is said that swallows have a wisdom older and surer than earth itself. If you let me go, I will give you three pieces of valuable advice”
The man thought for a while and became curious on what the bird has to say. So he said, ” I will let you go, but if you fly away without holding your end of the bargain, I will hunt you with my gun”
The swallow assured him that would not be the case. So the man released the bird.
The swallow flew out to the top of a tree, out of reach from the man and started speaking:
“Listen to me, oh, and abide by these three pieces of wisdom.
First: do not believe anything too good to be true without questioning it first.
Second: do not stretch your hand to a place where you cannot reach.
Third: do not dwell over what is past and gone”
“Take these words from a wise swallow and do not forget them”
The man nodded thoughtfully.
The swallow added, “Inside me, there is a large pearl of great value, as large as an eagle’s egg”
The man felt bad for releasing the bird and involuntarily stretched out his hand to grab the bird back.
The swallow teased him, “So you have already forgotten my first two pieces of advice. Might as well follow the third”
The man became angry at being teased by a lowly bird, so he took out his gun to shoot, but the swallow flew away out of sight, laughing.
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