THE FABLE OF THE PARROTS
words and music (c) 1978 Nancy Ellen Abrams

Once there was a hermit who lived in the wood
Amidst the trees and birds life was very good
At dawn he would rise to meditate and pray
And salute the sun as it rose with the day

The parrots, awakened by warmth on their feathers
Chattered in great cacophony together
A hymn to the sun at its earth-grazing slant:
In the hermit's meditation, a sacred chant

One day the peace of the forest was disturbed
By a hunter coming to catch the birds
He laid a large net upon the ground
With grain, and hid till the parrots came down

When they'd all landed to enjoy their breakfast
The hunter sprang out and tied the net fast
"Wait!" called the hermit, who had seen the deed done
"You've taken all the parrots! You haven't left one!

Out here in the forest they are happy and free!"
"Of course," said the hunter, "but what about me?
I have a family that I must feed.
My children go hungry if these birds are freed."

"I will pay you then what you would have earned
If you free the birds now and promise not to return"
"Agreed!" said the hunter, "But I must also say
That two weeks is the longest I can stay away"

"Two weeks are enough," and the hermit let fly
All the parrots but two. He took them inside
And he spoke to them slowly and seriously
Saying, "I will help you. Listen to me

Hunter will come with net and grain
Don't land, don't eat, fly away, fly away!
Hunter will come with net and grain
Don't land, don't eat, fly away, fly away!"

They learned, and he sent them back to their friends
In the treetops to call out again and again
"Hunter will come with net and grain
Don't land, don't eat, fly away, fly away!"

Soon the forest was filled with the sound of birds
Warning each other in the hermit's words
Hundreds of parrots were crying all day
"Don't land, don't eat, fly away, fly away!"

The hunter returned, unaware of his fame
But his anguish grew the closer he came
"Am I crazy," he thought, "or is that the sound
Of the parrots, screaming not to come down?

I'm ruined!" he cried. "They've seen through my game!
And that terrible hermit's the one to blame!
I'll lay my net anyway and hope for the best
Maybe a few parrots are dumber than the rest"

So he laid out his net and grain on the ground
And in minutes, hundreds of parrots came down
"Hunter will come!" they continued to cry,
"Don't land, don't eat!" as the net was tied

"Dear parrots," said the hermit, "I did all I could do
I told you the truth, but the rest was up to you"
So saying, he turned and went back to his home
Closed his eyes in the silence and chanted alone