The Eagle In a Golden Cage

 

In the world there exists three golden cages. Each cage contains an eagle, a bird with great strength which can fly very high up in the air.

Inside the first golden cage there was found an egg. Soon it hatched, and the eaglet struggled free. No one knows where the egg came from.

More and more gold appeared on the cage, and it was very bright. It seemed that the more attention was paid to the cage. the fatter the eagle inside it became.

When the time came to free the bird, it was discovered that the eagle had become so fat he couldn't fly.

So great was the adoration of the golden cage that the eagle had begun to adore himself too. When everybody knew that the eagle was a prisoner in his own cage, the cage turned to rusted iron and was very ugly. The eagle became distraught and tried to get out, but his efforts were in vain.

The second cage began the same way. It had an egg in it which hatched, and out came an eaglet. But when the time came for the cage to receive more and more gold, the eagle noticed he was becoming fatter and knew he would not be able to fly.

Rather than eating and fasting all the time, the eagle in the second cage began to jump up and down once in awhile. He had to eat of course, but he kept on hopping up and down so as to not get too fat.

As the eagle grew, he sometimes bumped against the sides of the cage. As soon as he recovered his strength however, he would begin again - day or night.

Soon feathers were flying about and the eagle was rapidly losing all his strength and energy. His stamina dwindled so much, he could only open his wings once a day.

The time came to free the eagle. But by then he was so tired, he had no more energy to fly. He remained imprisoned and soon died from grief, knowing he would never soar through the air. At that moment, the golden cage turned into tin.

Then there was the third eagle. Again an egg was found inside the cage, and an eaglet came out. It took a long time before the first signs of glitter were seen from the outside. But inside, the cage became very bright and sparkly.

The young eagle was not at all fat, and he often hopped up and down. He learnt how to open his wings and flutter about. Sometimes he would become tired and take a rest.

He continued his movements although once in awhile he would be too hasty and enthusiastic; then he would hurt his wings against the bars.

But this eagle learn from his mistakes and began to preserve his energy for the flight to come. Finally the day arrived for the cage to be opened.

At the instant the doors were set aside, the healthy young eagle soared up into the air. At that very moment, his wings turned into gold.

He flew in the direction of the sun, and higher up to places where you nor I can see. Then suddenly the cage disappeared. All the gold had been transformed into the feathers on the eagle - the only one of the three who could fly when freedom came.

Copyright 1998 Henri van Bentum