Bird's advice

A man once set up a trap to catch birds. By chance, a small bird became ensnared, and the man quickly captured it. The bird, trembling but calm, looked at him and spoke: “O human! You have eaten countless deer, goats, and chickens. Compared to all that, what difference does my little body make? The small amount of meat on me will barely fill your stomach. But if you release me, I will give you three pieces of advice—advice that, if you follow, will be extremely beneficial to you.

The first advice I will give you now, the second one when you release me and I perch on the wall, and the third and final piece of advice I will give when I fly from the wall to a branch of a tree.”

The man, intrigued and curious, thought to himself, “I wonder what wisdom this tiny bird could possibly offer.” He agreed to the bird’s request and said, “Give me the first advice, and then I will set you free.”

The bird opened its beak and said gently, “My first advice to you is: Never believe something that is impossible.”

The man listened carefully and, seeing no harm in it, let the bird go. The bird flew to a nearby wall and perched there. It turned to him and said, “Here is my second advice: Do not grieve over what has already happened.”

Hearing this, the man was momentarily surprised, but then a wave of regret struck him. He realized the bird might be more than it appeared. Suddenly, the bird revealed, “O kind man! By letting me go, you have made a grave mistake. Inside my small body is an extremely rare gem, weighing a pound. Had you killed me and extracted it, selling it would have made you unimaginably wealthy, enough to secure generations of your family. You could have become one of the richest and most influential people in the land.”

The man’s heart sank. He regretted his decision deeply. “If only I had not let it go,” he thought. “My descendants’ lives could have been secured because of this one bird.

The bird, noticing his thoughtful and regretful expression, flew to a nearby tree branch. It continued, “O good man! Let me remind you again of my first advice, which you seem to have forgotten: Do not believe in the impossible. Yet you believed that a tiny bird, no heavier than a few ounces, could carry a pound-sized gem in its body. Is that even possible?”

The bird paused, then added sharply, “I also gave you my second advice: Do not grieve over what has already happened. But you did not heed it. You let sorrow and regret overcome you. If you have not practiced the first two pieces of advice, why would you follow the third? You are not yet ready to receive wisdom.

With that, the bird spread its wings and took flight into the sky. The man stood there, lost in thought, pondering over the bird’s words. He realized how rare it is to meet someone—or something—that genuinely wishes to guide you toward wisdom.

The lesson he carried with him was clear: those who are fortunate enough to have someone offer advice are truly blessed. Too often, we consider ourselves wise and dismiss the guidance of elders, mentors, or well-intentioned companions. Such arrogance brings harm only to ourselves. Advice is not meant to be merely heard or repeated; it is a treasure, forged from experience, insight, and careful observation.

The bird’s three pieces of advice—do not believe in the impossible, do not grieve over what has already happened, and recognize when wisdom is given to you—are not simply words. They are life lessons, capable of guiding anyone willing to listen and act upon them. Had the man embraced them fully, he could have saved himself from regret and benefited from the knowledge offered freely to him.

As he walked away, reflecting on the small bird’s words, he realized that wisdom often comes in unexpected forms, sometimes in the smallest and humblest of beings. The treasure may not always be material—it may be a lesson that enriches the soul, sharpens the mind, and shapes the character of anyone ready to learn.

And so, the man became a wiser, more thoughtful person, realizing that those who listen carefully and act upon sound advice are indeed the most fortunate in life. The bird’s flight into the sky was not only an escape but a lasting reminder of the priceless value of wisdom, guidance, and the lessons that life places before us in mysterious ways.