The Herons

Two white winged herons flew high above a valley. Feeling the breeze in their wings, they swooped down toward the river bed below. In the forest, the herons came upon a squirrel sitting on a massive pile of nuts. “You better not take any of my nuts!” shouted the squirrel, as he spread his hands out wide. Then he started to pull on a giant leaf sled he created to carry them to his tree house. Nuts kept falling off the top of the pile, and the squirrel kept scolding the acorns. “Get back on there!” He struggled, and cursed. Without a word, the older heron flew over and scooped up both the squirrel and his make shift nut transport, and flew them to the squirrel’s tree. “Put me down! You are trying to steal my stuff!” The older haron smiled and gently set him down at home. “Good riddance!” yelled the squirrel, and he yanked the nuts inside.

The two herons resumed their flight over the forest. For hours the younger heron flew in silence saying nothing about what happened. Then suddenly, he blurted out, “That squirrel was so selfish and rude, yet you picked him up and helped him. How could you do that?” The older heron smiled and said,

“It must be hard for you to fly while still holding on to the squirrel. You should leave him by his tree as I did.”