The King of the Birds (traditional)

Louis Mair, 2008

Once upon a time the birds held a meeting to decide which of them should be King. The heron said that he was the wisest bird and therefore he should be King. The peacock said that he was the most beautiful bird and therefore he should be King. Many birds thought that their qualities were the most important and therefore they should be King. They talked for hours but were no nearer to an agreement.

At last the eagle said: “Why don’t we see who can fly the highest and let them be King?” This idea clearly favoured the eagle and the buzzard but they were all sick of arguing. So they agreed to the eagle’s contest.

The birds flew up in a dense cloud. The birds that do not normally fly very far soon tired and the great soaring birds slowly rose above those that flap their wings. At last the buzzard slipped from a thermal and the eagle rose above him.

When he could fly no higher, the eagle looked down at the birds below him and said: “I am the eagle and I have flown higher than you. I should be King of the Birds.” Then another voice said: “I am the wren and I have flown higher than all of you. I should be King.” The eagle looked above him and there flapping his wings was the wren. For the tiny wren had sat on the eagle’s shoulder unnoticed by anyone.

And that is how the wren became King of the Birds.