The Wolf and the Magpie

A magpie is flying—black wings, white sides. It flies leisurely, looking around at everything. It sees a wolf walking—tail tucked, head down. The magpie lands on a tree and asks, "Why so gloomy, Brother Wolf?"

"Ah, don't ask," replies the wolf. "Life is hard for me. No one loves me. Whenever something bad happens in the forest, everyone blames me. And this morning, hunters with guns and fierce dogs chased me. I barely escaped. I’m leaving this forest."

"Well," says the magpie, "it's your choice. I’ll visit you in your new place. Wings aren’t feet—they’ll take me anywhere. But tell me, Brother Wolf, what will you take with you to your new life?"

"What do you mean?!" the wolf exclaims in surprise. "I’ll take what I have—my gray sides that the dogs can’t wait to tear, my swift legs, my keen ears, my sharp eyes..."

"And what about your sharp teeth and your fierce temper? Will you leave them here or take them with you?"

"How foolish you are, Magpie!" growls the wolf. "Are you mocking me? How can a wolf live without sharp teeth?! And my temper is just fine—it’s not like I’ll trade it for a hare’s!"

The magpie chatters, as if laughing: "Oh, Wolf, Wolf! Between the two of us, I’m not the foolish one. Whoever has a fierce temper and sharp teeth will always have a bad reputation chasing them. Whether you leave or stay, you can’t escape it."

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The Wolf and the Magpie

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