The Falcon

Akapat woke up to a crescendo of birdsongs. He opened his eyes and saw countless birds perched on treetops singing merrily in the light of the rising sun. He looked at the little window to the sky. The sky was painted in many hues of

multitudinous colors and looked bewitching. The colors bled surreally into the waters of the flowing river.

This must be the paradise people imagined, Akapat thought as he immersed himself further into this experience. Suddenly, from the corner of his eyes, he noticed moment in the water. He looked up and saw a falcon in dive.

Sweet potatoes, he thought and in reflex quickly dived to cover his bag. This distracted the falcon which braked and swooped up in the sky.

He recollected himself and sat down, parting the dirt from his clothes. It was only then he realized that it was the two headed snake, still sleeping by the fire the intended target of the falcon.

The big bird will be very very angry, the tiger spoke with his head on his paws. You have stolen his breakfast. See, he said as he looked up. He is still circling up there to seek a chance.

Akapat looked up and saw the bird circling above the window in the canopy which opened into the sky.

And when he will dive again, the tiger said, following the bird with his eyes, he will not miss. By now he would have factored your speed in his dive.

The tiger got up and walked up to the fire pit and picked up the sleeping snake in his mouth with both the heads dangling on either sides.

One of the head opened its eyes and panicked, the tiger is going to eat us, he said and opened his fangs

What the other head said as he opened his eyes.

The tiger dropped the snake behind Akapat’s bag and looked in the sky. I am not, he will. Then he started circling around Akapat and the snake.

That was suicidal, Akapat said, the snake could have bitten you.

Ah, he won’t have. Not because of he could not but because both of them would have taken ages to come to a consensus that they need to bite me.

The snake head that had shown aggression to the tiger felt ashamed. I am sorry tiger, but how could I have known that you intend to save us.

The other head chose to keep silent.

Where is the point, the tiger said as he saw the falcon slowly descended from the sky, in having two fangs when you can’t even save yourself. If you want to live, you must learn to have one mind. Then he fixed his gaze on the falcon which slowly glided down and sat down at the edge of the river.

I came to see you tiger, it spoke with calmness. You are not only different from outside but inside. I have seen many season and many tigers. You are the first which saved another animals life. That is so rare.

And you, double head, the falcon looked as the snake with a piercing gaze, sooner or later I will get you.

Why do you want to eat him, Akapat asked the falcon.

Why do we eat man cub, he looked at Akapat, we eat because we are hungry.

If you are hungry, he said opening his bag from which remaining three sweet potatoes rolled out, I can give you a sweet potato. He lifted one in his left hand.

The falcon continued to look at him intently.

Ok take two, he said picking another one.

The falcon seemed unmoved.

He picked up the third one and offered it to the falcon. You can have all the sweet potatoes I have but please spare my friend.

You seriously think that a falcon will eat sweet potato. The falcon mocked him.

If a tiger can eat one, so can you. Both the snake heads said in unison.

Seriously tiger, the falcon said with contempt, sweet potatoes !! And man cub, boy you surely have a heart. But mark my words, a man and snake cannot be friends.

If a tiger and a man can be, Falcon, the tiger spoke, why can’t a man and snake cannot.

My dear tiger, the falcon reacted. A man and a tiger are placed at the top of the food chain and they generally don’t eat each other, so they can coexist. Both are warm blooded and have a large heart. but a snake is nowhere in the pecking order. They are not only cold blooded but hardly have a heart. They fear everything above them and scare everyone below them.

Are we scary, both heads retorted.

No, the falcon laughed, you are funny.

Falcon, what is a food chain? Akapat asked.

It is something for us animals, the falcon spoke as it pecked its feathers. For you there is no chain. Humans can eat anything, grass, small animals, big animals, but we animals have a strict code of conduct. We eat only what we can hunt. You eat what you can grow too.

Is that good or bad? Akapat asked again.

The falcon looked at Akapat intently in the light of the rising sun. You are the one with transparent skin, no wonder you have a large heart. We will meet again, my boy, when the world would have darkened your skin. Then you ask me these questions. What do you say tiger.

This one is different, Falcon. The tiger replied. He still has the light of truth burning within his heart.

Then you must keep it alight, the falcon spoke thoughtfully. Maybe we still have some hope. But trust me on the snake. Leave him behind.

We will leave him where it is warmer Falcon, Akapat replied. He has asked us for help.

Ask him what he is doing here, the Falcon said as it shifted its gaze to the snake. He should have been sleeping in some deep cave during this winter.

I am hungry, both the heads replied in unison. We just could not sleep on an empty stomach. Or two.

You are so amusing, the Falcon said haughtily. If you can speak the same word, why can’t you eat the same food.

If her eats, I will remain hungry, one head said. And if he eats I will remain hungry, the other replied.

See, man cub, that is why I said a snake cannot be trusted. If two of them, with the same body cannot trust each other, why do you have to trust them. And in this insecurity they have in each other, they don’t even realize that their heads may be different, but their stomach is one.

They are just dumb, the tiger said patiently, they will learn.

I pray they do, the Falcon replied to the tiger. Then he turned his head to Akapat and asked, tell me what you plan to eat after your sweet potatoes run out. And if you are planning to eat the snake , I am happy, some worthwhile use of this scum bag.

No sooner the Falcon finished his words, the snake became tout. It raised its fangs and looked at Akapat and the tiger.

See, I told you, how insecure is he, the Falcon chided.

If we wanted to eat you, snake, we would have even digested you by now. The tiger looked at the snake and said assuringly. And, then he looked at the falcon, what mischief are you upto mister.

I am just enlightening your boy with the realities of the world. Tomorrow when this snake bites him, his venom will have an antidote, but his action won’t. You would not be able to patch his heart together.

I will forgive the Snake, Akapat said with reassurance in his voice. If I have to die by a snake bite so be it. And if that snakebite comes from a friend I would find myself lucky.

Your misplaced wisdom is called a suicidal tendency boy, the eagle spoke with authority. And if god forbid something happens to you, the snake looses nothing. The tiger, as I see, will lose something. But the world will keep going on. No one will even notice the absence of a boy with clear skin and a clean heart. But it will be a loss that is irreparable. One good man less in this mean world is a disaster.

Tiger, he turned his head around and looked at the Tiger, you are much wiser than this. How can you allow that time bomb to tick around you. Even if I accept that the intent of the snake may be good, but imagine on one dark night , the boy steps on him by mistake, and

We will cross that bridge when we will reach the river, falcon, Akapat said with stern determination in his eyes.

Well that your wish. You can say that you were not warned. The falcon spoke. By the way, you didn’t tell me how will you feed yourself after the snake has eaten your sweet potatoes.

The tiger will teach me fishing today. Akapat said proudly.

Oh God, the falcon shook his head in disappointment, you will learn fishing from a tiger. Then he looked at the tiger and spoke, mind if I teach this skill to the boy. Take is as my little contribution to your sacred mission.

Be my guest, the tiger replied, as he looked at the Falcon and sat on the ground.

Ok boy, let’s go to the river, the Falcon said flapping its wings. And you Mr snake, my eyes are on you

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