To be a handsome eagle

A man was sent to steal a birds egg from a prized eagle. When he reached the nest he saw two eggs, took them both and delivered them for the bounty. Later the eggs hatched and one was the finest specimen the owner had ever seen, he was overjoyed, the other though was quite the most scrawny, ugly and unimpressive bird. The owner threw the weak bird out into the fields behind his home with no care for its well-being and placed all of his attention on the finer looking strong eagle.

In the years to come the scrawny bird found its way in the forest, the lower mountains and valleys. During this time the finer bird was taught how to fly to his masters hand, eat fine steak, raise its wings to rousing music, do impressive swoops for crowds of onlookers. It slept on a fine perch made from oak and decorated in jewels, silks were used to cover his area and some used to decorate the rings on his legs, he drank water from a cup guilded in gold, and was even put forward for breeding where he mated with females in high number.

Back out on the land the ugly bird got involved in fights with others, always losing and never getting a mate, he ate small prey and slept in a crevice on a wind swept, rain soaked, rock face.

More time passed and the very handsome strong bird was muscular and impressive from his fine diet, he was used to performing for crowds and had become the prime interest of the owners growing son. He was like a member of the household and was respected by other eagle owners and people interested in his performance and beauty. The weaker bird lived on out in the wilderness.

A time came when the family took a long holiday and the prize eagle was left behind with a housekeeper. Due to mishandling and the lack of authority of the keeper the eagle flew free. He flew and flew, out of the bounds of the estate, towards the wilderness where his brother lived.

There is a fat corpse in the forest being eaten by ants. Up on the cliff top an ugly bird breathes fresh air and looks out over the great valley.

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Tao Wow | Daily Cup of Tao