The Parrot and The Grocer

Once there was a grocer who owned a handsome green parrot who sang sublimely and spoke most eloquently. The parrot was not only an ideal companion but also the perfect guard for the grocer's shop. One day when the grocer left the shop in the parrot's care , having gone home for lunch, a cat suddenly ran into the shop chasing a mouse, frightening the bird. As the parrot flew in hurry, he knocked a few bottles of almond oil off the shelves, breaking them and covering himself and the shop floor in oil.

When the grocer returned and found the place in disarray, the floor slippery with oil and the parrot perching guiltily in a corner. The grocer lost his temper and hit the bird on the head with all his might. The poor bird could not bear it and shed all the feathers on his head.

After this incident the parrot stopped talking and singing. The grocer realised that he made a mistake. He blamed himself. He lamented himself and said, "I wish I'd broken my hand!" , "How could I have struck my sweet-voiced bird like that?" How could I have behaved so monstrously?"

The grocer began to give alms to each and every poor darvish who passed by his shop, hoping that by doing good deeds he might be forgiven, and his bird might again start to exercise his mesmerising voice.

One day a bald darvish walked into the shop, and instantly the parrot began to speak: "Di you spill bottles of almond oil, too?"

The sitting customers in the shop were amused and smiled at the parrot, who had innocently thought that the bald man had suffered the same fate as himself.!

One of the customers said compassionately, "Darling little parrot, never equate one action with another. One must never compare oneself to others, even though they may appear to be the same on the surface; truly nothing is as it seems!"