The Owl and the Eagle: A Lesson in Pride and Truth

The Owl and the Eagle: A Tale of Pride and Deception

By Amina Maham

Once upon a time, deep in the heart of a vast green forest, an unlikely friendship blossomed between two very different birds — an eagle and an owl. The eagle was known across the skies as the king of hunters, strong, swift, and proud. The owl, on the other hand, was mysterious and wise — or at least, he liked to think so.

One evening, as the orange sun sank behind the trees, the eagle and the owl were resting on a high cliff, chatting like old friends. The eagle stretched his mighty wings and said, “Brother Owl, I promise you one thing — I will never harm your children. You have my word. But tell me something — how will I recognize them? I wouldn’t want to make a mistake and eat the wrong chicks by accident.”

The owl puffed up his feathers proudly. “Oh, that’s simple,” he replied. “My children are unlike any others in the forest. They are the most beautiful of all birds. Their feathers shine, their eyes sparkle like stars, and their voices are soft and sweet. You’ll recognize them at a single glance.”

The eagle nodded thoughtfully. “Ah, I see,” he said with a grin. “Well then, I will surely know them when I see them. It’s always best to ask beforehand — no one likes to regret later. Until next time, my friend. Farewell.”

With a powerful flap of his wings, the eagle soared away into the glowing sky, leaving the owl feeling quite satisfied with his own words.


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The Mistaken Hunt

The very next morning, the eagle went out hunting. He glided over mountains, rivers, and treetops in search of food for the day. After a while, he spotted a nest perched high on an ancient oak tree. Curious, he circled above it and saw inside a group of tiny chicks.

But these chicks were not beautiful. Their feathers were dull and scruffy, their eyes half-closed, and their voices were anything but sweet — hoarse and croaky, they chirped and squealed noisily.

The eagle tilted his head. “These can’t possibly be the owl’s children,” he thought to himself. “He said his chicks were the most beautiful of all. These are ugly, black, and clumsy. Their voices sound dreadful!”

Certain that the chicks belonged to some other bird, the eagle swooped down and, without hesitation, ate them one by one. When he was done, he spread his wings and prepared to fly away.

Just then, from the shadows, a furious cry filled the air. “Stop! What have you done?”

It was the owl. His wide golden eyes burned with anger and grief. “Eagle! Those were my children! My beautiful babies! You promised never to harm them — and now you’ve eaten them all!”

The eagle froze, shocked and ashamed. “What? Your children? But they looked so plain! You told me they were beautiful — shining feathers, sweet voices, lovely to look at! I didn’t recognize them!”

The owl let out a wailing screech that echoed through the trees. The eagle could not bear the sound of his friend’s sorrow. Overcome with guilt, he spread his wings and flew away silently into the clouds, never looking back.


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The Bat’s Wisdom

Nearby, a bat had been watching everything from a distance. When the owl stopped crying, the bat flew closer and perched beside him.

“Friend Owl,” the bat said softly, “don’t be angry with the eagle. He didn’t mean to hurt you. The real mistake was yours.”

The owl blinked in surprise. “Mine? How could it be my fault? He ate my children!”

The bat sighed. “Yes, he did — but think about what you told him. You said your children were beautiful, that they were the most handsome of all. But you knew that wasn’t true. You let your pride blind you, and in trying to appear greater than others, you deceived your friend. You hid the truth — and now you suffer because of your own vanity.”

The owl hung his head. For the first time, he saw the truth in the bat’s words. “You are right,” he murmured sadly. “My pride made me blind. I thought if I called my children beautiful, everyone would believe it — even myself. But lies, no matter how small, always lead to pain.”

The bat nodded gently. “Remember, Owl — honesty is a shield, but pride is a trap. When we try to hide our flaws behind lies, we end up destroying what we love the most.”

With that, the bat flew away into the night, leaving the owl alone beneath the cold, silent moon.


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The Moral

From that day on, the owl never spoke proudly of himself or his children again. He learned that truth, no matter how bitter, is always better than false pride.

As for the eagle, he carried guilt in his heart for many years. He never hunted near the owl’s tree again and often told younger eagles, “Always ask, always listen — and never trust appearances alone.”

And so, in the quiet forest, the tale of the owl and the eagle spread far and wide. It became a story that parents told their young — a story about how pride and deception can lead even friends to tragedy.

Moral:
Those who try to hide the truth behind lies only end up deceiving themselves. Pride blinds us to reality, and dishonesty always brings sorrow in the end.