The Sharing

Once, the eagle said to the hawk and the magpie: "Let's hunt together." And so the eagle, the hawk, and the magpie went hunting. Before sunset, they caught a lot of game, about three hundred pieces.

"Now let's divide the spoils," said the eagle. "Magpie, divide everything equally among the three of us."

"No, eagle, how could I? You divide it yourself, or let the hawk handle it."

"Very well, I'll gladly do it," said the hawk.

He divided all the game into three piles, so equal that it didn't matter which one to take.

"Hawk," asked the eagle, "where is my share?"

"Eagle, take any of the three."

"Hawk, you're foolish. I'll teach you how to divide properly!"

And with one strike of his beak, the eagle killed the hawk. Then he said to the magpie:

"Now, magpie, let's divide the spoils between the two of us. Divide everything equally into two parts."

"No, eagle, let's divide it into three parts. One for you because of your beak, and the other two—also for you, because of your talons."

"Magpie, no one divides better than you. And for your efforts, take this little skinny titmouse, tough as wood."

More fairy tales

• Firozet
• Gotcha, Cricket!
• The White Deer
• The Tale of the Clever Shepherd Boy
• How the Devils Outsmarted