It is told that there was a man, who had a large garden in which he grew all that he needed. It was said that “every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food” (Gen. 2:9) was found in his garden. One day as he was working in the garden he saw a bird eating the fruit, and he caught the bird in a trap. He was so angry and furious with the bird that he took his knife in hand and prepared to slaughter it.

Suddenly the bird opened its mouth and spoke: “I see that you wish to slay me though I am very small and my lean body is ugly and smelly. Nothing in me can give you strength or satisfy your hunger. If you could control your anger and your rage I will give you good counsel.” “And what may that be?” the gardener said; and the bird of wisdom answered: “Promise me that you will spare me from death and let me go when I tell you all my good counsel.” “Why should I make such an promise?” asked the gardener. “When a man becomes angry, even if greatness has been decreed for him by Heaven, he is reduced from his greatness. (Pesachim 66b) Do not be foolish and listen to my words.” The bird responded, and the gardener heard the words.

Then the bird said: “Accept these words which I share with you and keep them in your bosom deep within your heart, for they are more useful and precious than gold, and worth far more than treasure untold. If you study and understand them they will guard you, and if you guard them they will serve you. These are worthy and precious thoughts we have received from our forefathers and birds of good faith these thousand years and more, and we have preserved them in our heart and passed them on to one another, one generation to the next. I am the last of them all and it is my duty to pass them to the oldest and wisest and most faithful of our kind.”

The gardener asked in disbelief: “If your words are true, how did you fall into my trap?”

The bird answered: “Be it known to you that the sages have said once there is a decree no wisdom can change it or turn it away. ‘A bird does not fall into a trap without the will of the Holy One, Blessed be He.’ (Y. Shevi’is  9:1) Indeed, it was decreed that I should be caught, and were it not for these words which cannot be bought you would have made an end of me at once. You wish to hear these words of wisdom for your benefit, and so you require that they should not be lost forever; such being the way of any wise man, and that will keep you from destroying me and save me from death and let me go free.’ ”

The words of the bird interested the gardener, and he believed the bird and wished very much to hear the words of wisdom. The gardener said “If what you say is true then speak these words of wisdom.”

The bird began and explained: “Listen and give ear, and pay attention to the words of our elders and guard them well as they commanded their children and their childrens’ children. The oldest of my kind blessed each generation and taught: ‘I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days like the phoenix’ (Job 29:18) ‘ Listen my children, you must know that the great kings and princes of long, long ago left their children a heritage of fortified cities for age upon age with treasures of jewels and silver and gold. Yet I can leave you no more than sayings three which no ruler, no matter how upright they may be or how much wealth they gather, can purchase. For these saying three are more precious than the light of day. If you follow this wisdom, you will eat your fill both morning and eve, and if you act according to them they will benefit you greatly.’ So now listen to me as I speak these words of wisdom.

“I have heard my grandsire sweetly say that he had heard from his grandsire in some bygone day that these three words were engraved on a tablet belonging to Shem the Prophet who took it with them into the ark, and engraved it was on greenest jade and these are the words that were written:

My son, do not sorrow for what you have lost.

My son, do not seek what you cannot obtain.

My son, do not believe what cannot be. 

These three sayings are beyond all wealth and value. Follow these words and you will proper greatly. Now I have told you the ancient wisdom of my kind, Let me go free.’ ” and the gardener set him free.

The bird flew off and perched on a tree that was higher than all the other trees in the garden and laughed at the gardener, saying: “You set me free, and you did not know that in my heart I have a precious gem stone that is beyond worth, and it is the only thing that makes me wise.” Hearing this, the gardener regretted what he had done and ran to the foot of the tree and started to climb it. But when he had climbed halfway, he fell and greatly harmed himself.

Then the bird looked down upon him and said: “Foolish man, you did not act according to the wise sayings I taught you even for a few moments.”

“I told you do not sorrow for what you have lost — yet you regretted having let me go.”

“I told you do not seek what you cannot obtain — yet you believed that I a precious gem stone that is beyond worth. I am but only a bird that flies and seeks food all day long and depends on the gifts of the Holy One, blessed be He.”

“I told you do not believe what cannot be — yet you thought that in my heart I have a precious gem stone and so you had to run after me till you fell and greatly harmed yourself.”

Though you have chosen to act without wisdom I will remind you: ‘There is gold, and abundance of costly stones; but the lips informed by knowledge are a precious jewel. (Proverbs 20:15)  The desire of the righteous ends only in good; the expectation of the wicked in anger.’ (Proverbs 11:23)

Then the bird went its way to seek its food.

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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