The Hoopoe and the Glasses of Wisdom

The Hoopoe and the Glasses of Wisdom

BY:Ubaid

Perched on a tall branch in the middle of the forest, an old hoopoe sat quietly. A small crown of feathers rested upon his head, and a pair of glasses balanced neatly on his beak. His sharp eyes twinkled behind the lenses, and it seemed as if he was always lost in deep thought.

During the day, animals from far and wide came to him. They considered him the wisest bird of the forest, always ready with sound advice. Squirrels, sparrows, doves, and even shy rabbits—everyone trusted his words.

Nearby, a young hoopoe watched all of this in awe. He was the old hoopoe’s grandson. Every day he would sit on a neighboring branch, fascinated by how the animals lined up to seek counsel. In his heart, he wished the same for himself.

If only the animals would come to me too, he thought. If only they would ask me about their troubles—like when the rain will fall or how to solve their quarrels. Then I too would be important, just like Grandfather.

But no one ever came to him. All day long, the crowd gathered only at the feet of the old hoopoe.

The Wise Decisions of the Grandfather

One day, two quarrelsome squirrels appeared. The first one complained,
“Sir, I found a pile of walnuts beneath a tree. But she has claimed them as her own!”

The second squirrel protested,
“No, they are mine! I discovered them first, and she is lying.”

The old hoopoe adjusted his glasses and peered at them kindly.
“Foolish squirrels,” he said, “fighting never brings good. Listen to my advice. Eat one walnut each now, and leave the rest stored safely. Winter will come, the snow will cover the forest, and food will be scarce. Those walnuts will save your lives. But even then, remember to share them equally.”

The squirrels were delighted by this fair solution and scampered away happily.

The young hoopoe clapped his wings in admiration.
What a clever answer! If only someone would come to me, I would decide just as wisely, he thought eagerly.

Later, a flock of sparrows flew in. They chirped nervously,
“Sir, we saw a patch of grain on the ground. But we fear a hunter’s net might be hidden there. What should we do?”

The old hoopoe nodded gravely.
“Whenever doubt arises, stay away. The heart does not give warnings without reason.”

The sparrows chirped in gratitude and flew off safely.

The young hoopoe sighed. If only they would ask me instead of him…

The Temptation of the Glasses

That night, a curious idea struck him. Maybe it isn’t my grandfather’s wisdom at all. Maybe it’s the glasses! Perhaps they hold the secret to clever answers.

The more he thought, the more convinced he became.
“Yes, these glasses must be magical. If I wear them, I too will become wise.”

The next afternoon, when the old hoopoe dozed with his eyes half-shut, the young one carefully tiptoed closer. With trembling claws, he lifted the glasses from his grandfather’s beak and proudly perched them on his own.

Now he looked every bit the “wise bird.”
He sat tall, puffed his chest, and waited eagerly for the animals to come.

The First Test

Soon enough, a partridge fluttered down.
“Hoopoe sir, can you tell me? Will there be a full moon tonight?”

The young hoopoe pushed the glasses down his beak, imitating his grandfather’s serious look. He thought hard.
Should I say yes? But what if the moon does not appear? Then I’ll be embarrassed. Should I say no? But what if it does appear?

Caught in confusion, he finally blurted out,
“Well, it may come out… or it may not.”

The partridge burst into laughter.
“What kind of answer is that?” she chuckled, and flew away.

The young hoopoe flushed red beneath his feathers.

The Mockery

One by one, more animals arrived, but he could not answer any of their questions. Every time, he hesitated, stumbled, and muttered meaningless words.

The glasses remained silent. No magical wisdom whispered in his ears.

Finally, embarrassed, he admitted,
“I don’t know the answer.”

The animals laughed, whispering among themselves,
“He is only pretending to be wise!”

Humiliated, the young hoopoe realized his mistake. The glasses held no secret power. Wisdom was not in objects—it was in experience.

The Lesson

Quietly, he returned to his grandfather and placed the glasses back upon his beak. The old hoopoe opened one eye and said sternly,
“I saw everything. You thought wisdom comes from these glasses. But listen, my child: the younger you are, the less experience you have. And wisdom grows only with experience.

“Instead of sitting here pretending, you must explore the forest. Watch, learn, and observe. When you grow older, your years of experience will guide you, just as mine do now.”

The young hoopoe bowed his head in shame but also in understanding. The truth was clear at last.

The Path to True Wisdom

From that day forward, he changed. Some hours he spent listening to his grandfather’s words, but most of his time he dedicated to roaming the forest.

He noticed how ants worked together, how rivers swelled after rain, how the fox tricked the careless, and how the owl hunted silently in the dark. He filled his mind with sights, sounds, and lessons.

With every passing season, his knowledge grew richer. His answers became thoughtful and steady.

Now, when birds or animals occasionally approached him, he no longer felt helpless. He did not depend on glasses or borrowed wisdom. Instead, he spoke from what he had seen, lived, and learned.

And so, step by step, the young hoopoe began walking the same path his grandfather had traveled—the path that leads, not through shortcuts or tricks, but through patience, experience, and the passage of time.

For true wisdom, he had finally discovered, lies not in what you wear but in what you live.