The next morning came quickly and the Peacock had not slept well the night before. The Keeper arrived early carrying a bowl of fine treats and polish for the jewels in the cage. He said to the Peacock, “I am going to make the sun rays glisten off the treasures in your cage, and you will strut like my greatest prize.” The peacock was tired and moody. "I don't feel much like strutting for the crowd today," she told The Keeper.
He frowned and shook his fists. Tossing the peacock’s food the ground, he said “You wretched bird.” Then he reached inside the cage and plucked a long turquoise colored feather from the peacock’s tail. The Peacock squawked in pain. “I will pull out every one of your feathers until you straighten up!" shouted the Keeper. "I will sell them one by one until they are gone! That's right, there is nothing you can do because you belong to me," he told the Peacock. Reluctantly the peacock pulled itself together and put on a smile.
The Keeper and his animals rode back to the town center for another show. Once everything was set up for the show, the Peacock stood up and strutted. She opened her plume wider than the day before to cover the missing tail feather. The crowd cheered even louder. Soon the Peacock forgot about her empty belly and painful back side. She only knew that she was being adored by the audience. The day ended quickly and the Keeper made even more money than the day before.
Once they show had ended and they returned to the ranch, the Peacock asked, "May I have something to eat now?" The Keeper laughed, and said “I'll teach you who is boss.” Then he placed a dish filled with food just inches outside of the cage. "Eat it if you can reach it!" he said as he walked away. The tiny sparrow had been waiting, watching. All the strutting and stretching she done earlier in the day had taken the Peacock’s strength. Her energy was zapped as she stared out at the bowl tired and hungry.
The sparrow had to do something. Although the Peacock had dismissed her the day before she could not let her sister bird starve. The sparrow pushed the bowl closer so that the Peacock could reach it. The starving Peacock gobbled up the morsels quickly then asked the sparrow, “Why would you help me today when yesterday I sent you away?” The sparrow smiled and said, “You are hungry and you are a bird. What other reason should I have to help you? While the peacock stuffed its face the sparrow sang a soothing melody. The peacock yawned and before long closed its eyes to sleep.
The sparrow continued dreaming of cheers and praises. She slept for two days straight until she awoke to the chirping of baby birds. The sparrow greeted the Peacock when she opened her eyes. "You must have needed the rest and wild berries." said the sparrow. The peacock was angry; she stood up quickly and asked, “Where am I, what have you done?" The sparrow said, “We've set you free from that wicked keeper. Now you don't have to strut or starve for him, you can live among your kind surrounded by nature and full of peace.” The peacock was furious” I did not ask to be rescued, I am a gorgeous, beloved peacock not like you some ordinary sparrow.
" To read more of: The Peacock and The Sparrow" you must purchase Kick Hug, Kick Shove- The Journal of an Emphatic Writer a MACROCOSMIC Scripts publication. Click the MACROCOSMIC Scripts logo at the top left of the page to be redircted to the on-line store.
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