Parrot in Cage

There was a house built on the top of the mountain. A sorceress named Aria lived in it. She knew black magic.

There was a village at the foot of the mountain. The sorceress had captured it with her magic. The villagers were very afraid of the sorceress. They knew that if the sorceress got angry, she could destroy the entire village with her magic.

That is why the villagers used to obey everything the sorceress said to please her. Whatever the villagers earned, a large part of it had to be given to the sorceress.

This tradition had been going on for many centuries. The people of the village would die after growing from young to old. But the sorceress always remained young and beautiful. No one knew the secret of this.

A child named Benjamin lived in a house in this village. His father died while working in the fields. After his father’s death, Benjamin took over the work of farming. But whatever grain he grew with hard work, a large part of it had to be given to the sorceress.

One day Benjamin said to his mother – “Mother, we will never be able to live in peace like this. My father died because of this witch and now I am also her slave.”

Benjamin’s mother said – “Son, many people before you also opposed the witch but she killed everyone with her magic. We cannot do anything.”

Benjamin interrupted his mother and asked – “But mother, there must be some way to get out of all this.”

Benjamin’s mother said – “Son, listen to me and let things go on as they are.”

Benjamin became quiet at that time, but the thought of freeing the villagers from the witch settled in his mind.

Benjamin started going to work in his field from the next day. But his mind was more focused on the witch than on work.

In the afternoon Benjamin sat down to eat under a tree. Dinanand uncle from the field next to his was also eating food there.

Benjamin told Dinanand uncle what was on his mind. After listening to Benjamin, he said – “Son, what you are saying is right but the work is very difficult, you may even lose your life in it.”

Benjamin said – “Uncle, I will be happy even if I lose my life in saving the villagers. Please suggest a way.”

Then Dinanand uncle said – “Many years ago, a farmer in the village tried to kill the witch. But the witch came to know about it. Then the witch snatched everything from him to take revenge and was preparing to kill him. But he had already left the village. You meet him, his name is Leo. He lives in a nearby village. But he does not meet anyone.”

Benjamin said – “But why uncle?”

Dinanand ji said – “Son, he is afraid that the witch may have sent someone to kill him.”

Benjamin understood everything and the next day he went to another village. There he reached Leo’s house. After assuring him a lot, Leo talked to Benjamin.

Leo said – “Once I went to the witch’s palace at night and strangled her so that she would die while sleeping. But she did not die because she had kept her life in a parrot.”

Benjamin was very surprised and asked – “But why so uncle?”

Leo started explaining further – “The thing is that the witch always wants to remain young and beautiful. But her magic does not work on herself. That is why she has kept that parrot. She has made it young with magic. The witch’s life is inside it. That is why she also remains young. If someone kills that parrot, everything will be fine.”

Benjamin bids farewell to Leo and returns to his village.

As soon as it is night, he quietly reaches the witch’s palace. There he sees that the witch is sleeping and there was a cage on the table near her. In which that parrot was there.

Benjamin gives green chillies to the parrot to eat. The parrot becomes very happy. Then Benjamin says to him – “How long will you stay in this cage, if you want I can free you.”

The parrot said – “No one can get me out of this prison.”

Benjamin said – “There must be some way?”

The parrot said – “If someone kills me then I can be free. If I die then the witch will lose her life. As soon as she dies I will become alive again because I have two lives inside me.”

Benjamin asked – “But how should I kill you so that you don’t feel pain.”

The parrot said – “Somehow fill this room with smoke, I will die of suffocation.”

Benjamin comes back after listening to everything. The next night he goes and sees that the witch is sleeping. He brings some wood with him. Burns them and throws them inside the window. Then closes the window.

The witch wakes up due to the smoke. She runs outside with the cage, but Benjamin closes the door from outside. In a short while the parrot dies. As soon as it dies, the cage slips from the witch’s hand and she dies. Benjamin was watching all this from outside. As soon as the witch dies, he opens the window, goes inside and brings the cage out.

In a short while the parrot comes back to life. In this way, due to Benjamin’s courage and wisdom, the villagers get rid of the witch.