The Language of Birds

There once lived a Hodja who, it was said, understood the language of

birds, but refused to impart his knowledge. One young man was very

persistent in his desire to know the language of these sweet

creatures, but the Hodja was inflexible.

In despair, the young man went to the woods at least to listen to the

pleasant chirping of the birds. By degrees it conveyed to him a

meaning, till, finally, he understood them to tell him that his horse

would die. On returning from the woods, he immediately sold his horse

and went and told the Hodja.

"Oh Hodja, why will you not teach me the language of birds? Yesterday

I went to the woods and they warned me that my horse would die, thus

affording me an opportunity of selling it and avoiding the loss."

The Hodja was silent, but would not give way.

The following day the young man again went to the woods, and the

chirping of the birds told him that his house would be burned. The

young man hurried away, sold his house, again went to the Hodja and

told him all that had happened, adding:

"See, Hodja Effendi, you would not teach me the language of the birds,

but I have saved my horse and my house by listening to them."

On the following day, the young man again went to the woods, and the

birds chirped him the doleful tale, that on the following day he would

die. In tears the young man went to the Hodja for advice.

"Oh Hodja Effendi! Alas! What am I to do? The birds have told me that

to-morrow I must die."

"My son," answered the Hodja, "I knew this would come, and that is

why I refused to teach you the language of birds. Had you borne the

loss of your horse, your house would have been saved, and had your

house been burned, your life would have been saved."