Once upon a time there was a poor weaver and his wife. They lived in a hut. No matter how hard he worked he was always in dire straits. He had two small daughters. They had a small back-yard in whichthey managed to grow their ow wheat or jowar and even some vegetables. If he had to feed only himself and his family, he could have managed pretty well. But no, he was generous to a fault. Whoever found his way to his door wasn't turned away without being given something to eat. So, travellers who had heard of his generous ways came at all times of the day, even knocking at his door at midnight if they were hungry or thirsty or wanted shelter for the night.
"Our scriptures say that our guest is God and should be so honoured" said the weaver to his wife and daughters. The good woman nodded assent. She too had been brought up to believe so. So, nobody was turned away from their door, be he traveller, beggar or just a passerby who wanted a glass of water to quench his thirst or somebody who had lost his way. The eagerness and happiness shown by the good couple to the in visitors was to be seen to be believed. The good man often remarked to his wife.
"Maybe, that is why God has willed that we live in this wilderness so far away from from everybody, with no houses nearby, so that a traveller weary and footsore sees our house. We will be glad if we can give him a bite to eat or a shelter for the night to rest and take shelter. There can be no greater blessing than that. Our Shastras enjoin such acts."
So, a little food was always put aside in the weaver's kitchen, every day for any hungry man who may chance to come. When friends and relations heard about it they said. "It is quite foolish to open one's door to strangers and thieves. What if robbers should gain entry into the house and make away with things?"
The weaver said. "We are so poor. There is noting of value in my house that can be stolen. Besides, I trust my conscience. In our twenty years of life here no single robber or thief has knocked at our door!"
His wife said, "Who knows who may come knocking at our door-perhaps an angel or God dressed in the garb of a traveller. Blessed shall we be when that happens!"
The friends and relatives had a good laugh when they heard what the good couple had to say. Infact, being miserly and selfish themselves, they were irritated by the goodness and generosity of the weaver and his wife.
"Foolish couple!"they said talking among themselves. "Shouldn't they be laying aside something with two daughters to be wed, someday?"
But the weaver and his wife were quite happy the way they were and continued to feed hungry visitors.
One day, the weaver and his wife were about to sit for supper when there came a knock at their door. traveller stood outside their door ,bent with age and shivering with cold.
"Come in, come in,"called out the weaver cheerfully, glad that he had not commenced his meal. The traveller, for his part was very happy with the cheerful welcome. He said,
"I am on a pilgrimage to Kashi. I have travelled part of my way by train.Now I am doing it on foot as I have run out of money. If you can put up with me for this one night I shall be grateful to you!"
"Certainly, my good man,"said the happy host glad to be of service. "Consider this as your own house. There is a well in the back-yard. Please wash yourself. You can then have a hot meal and rest for the night."
The traveller was deeply moved, He said."I have been on my feet for over a month. I have met many people. But nobody has welcomed a stranger at their door this way. It is my good fortune that I should meet meet you and spend the night in your blessed house!"
The old man went to wash in the back yard. When he came into the house he was given a plank of wood to sit. A fresh banana leaf from the garden was spread before him to eat upon. A simple meal of rice and sambar was served with great joy and overflowing kindness. Then he was given a mat to sleep, and along with it a blanket too, to keep him warm for the night.
The weaver and his wife ate whatever was left which was very little and turned in for the night, happy and cheerful for having done a good turn. In the morning the weaver's wife cooked a thick rice gruel and fed the guest. The old man blessed them with all his heart.
"I cannot thank you enough," he said with tears in his eyes,"who can believe that there are people like you in this world, who live for others?"
The weaver was very embarrassed with the praise. He said. "No, No, you shouldn't thank us. In fact it is we who should be grateful to you for making it possible to serve you in order to gain the blessings of the Gods! In fact, we believe that all those who seek us out are Gods themselves and we are glad to serve them. How, else does one serve God if not in human form? All our spiritual masters say so. And sir, you are holiness itself as you are on a pilgrimage to Kashi-the holiest of holy places. We consider it an honour to have looked after you!"
The next day, there was a lad at their doorstep. The young man was tall, well-built, strapping. The weaver's wife said, "Go, to the backyard and have a wash. A hot meal is ready!" She only hoped the food would suffice. She had no thought of herself or her husband.
The boy ate up all the chappathis with great delight. She served it with only chopped onions.There was nothing else in the house. The boy thanked them and set off happily on his way. He had no idea that the good couple had starved themselves to feed him. After he left, the weaver set off to town to sell the cloth. Luckily, he found a buyer. With a little money he bought a few things and set off home. The things lasted a week.
On another day, there was again, absolutely nothing in the house! The poor woman ransacked the larder hoping to find something but no, there was nothing. Then the weaver found some sweet potatoes while digging in the garden. The mother was very happy.
"That will take care of the children's food!"she said to her husband. "If somebody comes it is going to be awful. There is nothing in the house. Once upon a time there was enough for us and our guests Now, there isn't enough for the family. Are the Gods trying us? It seems so.We should not be found wanting."
The weaver had just enough money to buy half a cup of milk.
"That will be enough for us," she said, "I have some tea-leaves. We can have tea!" Even as she said it she thought. "What if somebody comes? How can I give them only tea?"
And oh! Yes they had a visitor at the very moment, An unusual visitor. It was a bird. They could hear his piteous cries as he came crashing on the grass in their back-yard. They ran to see.
It was the strangest bird they had ever set eyes on. Its feathers were a bright scarlet. On its tiny head was a crown made with gold and inlaid with precious stones. It dazzled in the sun. The weaver bent down and lifted the bird gently in his palm.
Thank God it was still alive! Its little heart continued to beat softly.It's eyes were closed. It was Unconscious. There was a little blood on its breast and wings. The weaver was about to take it indoors when a huge hawk came swooping with great ferocity and, unable to get hold of its victim, rose back into the sky and remained poised above their heads as if to strike again in order to carry off its prey. The weaver said,
"We must save the poor bird from the vicious hawk. Let us carry it indoors for safety!"
So, saying he took their most unusual guest inside the house.
"We must get him back on his wings!"said the good woman. The little girls ran around the little bird, stopping now and then to study him and hoping he would wake up and open his eyes. In the meanwhile the weaver had found an old cardboard box which he now lined with a little straw and cotton-wool. He had washed the bird's wing and laid it there as gently as he could. The beautiful bird lay very quietly hardly making a movement to the anxiety of the children. They asked their parents again and again.
"Will he die? Oh, we can't bear to see him die!", they cried wondering what would happen. Luckily, late in the evening he opened his eyes and called out. "Klee!Klee!"
The girls came running to the corner where he lay. So did the parents. The bird opened his eyes, once again when they were gathered around and looking at them called out again."Kleei! Klee!"
The weaver's wife said."I am sure he is hungry. Thank God we saved that milk instead of making tea for ourselves. Now he can have that milk to drink."
The weaver fed their visitor with the milk - a few drops of it, every few hours. For a whole week he lay in the box, until his wing was mended. He was able to take a few steps in the room. He was able to fly too, to the great joy of the family. What a wonderful guest he was! So quiet and dignified and intelligent, as if he understood every thing that he was told. He carried himself like royalty! That crown bore ample evidence of his lineage!
How grateful he was for the few drops of milk and all the sympathy and attention. He loved playing with the little girls. He would cuddle up to them if they came to touch him and then wriggle out of their grasp and fly high up to the ceiling and calling out in great delight.
"Klee! Klee!"
"Klee! Kleel" called out the girls in response clapping their hands in joy. Soon the bird was back in shape. One day when the girls woke up at dawn and ran to the box the bird wasn't there.
"The Klee-Klee-Bird is gone", they cried, "Our beautiful friend is gone!" They began to cry as if broken-hearted.
They had spent a whole fortnight with him, feeding him milk and their own share of sweet potato. They had talked and laughed. And now he was gone.They were inconsolable. The weaver said,
"You must understand that he cannot stay here forever. He must have gone back to his family. And then he also seems to be the king. Surely he had to get back to his country and its affairs!"
The weaver's wife said, "What a lovely bird. If he was a king how wonderfully he carried himself! He was so humble, so gentle and grateful with whatever we gave him! Where did he come from? And where did he vanish? It is all such a mystery? And who was he,in the first place? A bird-king? An angel? Will he come back to visit us some day? I hope he will. For I have never been so impressed by anyone in my life. He was the most wonderful visitor we have had. I only hope we looked after him well."
The months rolled by, but the family never forgot their visitor. The girls kept looking out for him, in the garden, searching the blue sky for signs of him, and his dazzling crown that glittered in the sun. Their ears, too were cocked for the sweet. "Klee! Klee!"
One day, the weaver said.
"So many travellers have come and gone and we have forgotten them all. But why is it so difficult to forget the Bird-King. The Klee Klee bird? What magic spell has he cast on our hearts that we still remember everything he did? Do you think he will visit us again?"
The wife said,"It is so sad that he simply flew away one fine day and we didn't even bid him a proper goodbye. He was so good. So silent. Didn't speak a single word. Accepted graciously our meagre hospitality and ministrations and then disappeared from our lives forever. "
The joy and happiness he had brought into their lives was something incredible.
"The aura he has left behind still clings to us.And to think that he came to us when we were so down and out." The weaver's wife began to weep.
"Don't weep!", consoled the weaver, "Who knows he may remember us and come back to see us someday!"
"But what have we done to merit another visit by the beautiful bird?"she asked herself, sadly.
But faith is a wonderful thing. It is like a lamp which never goes out for it can light up everything with just a touch. One day, the weaver returned from the town. He told his wife,
"Today I met some people. I wonder why some folks like to hurt. Do you know they said that both of us were quite foolish to live like we do. Look after guests and strangers. I told them that God would take care of us. Do you know what they said to that? That God only helped those that helped themselves to food Proverbs have to be rewritten in today's context, they say. You and your wife still cling to things that were meant for the Tretha yuga."
The wife said. "What is it to them. We lead our lives doing whatever we can with whatever we have. And yet they will say things."
The weaver said, "Many a time I wonder why we are both like this. yes, I worry about our daughters, too. We have to provide for their future. We have to plan for our old age. But when I see a hungry soul all my thoughts are how to feed him. My problems simply vanish. Well, at such times I am glad that god has given us generous hearts. That will see us through, I hope!"
He fell silent for a strange but familiar cry broke the stillness of the noon.
"Klee!Klee!"
The weaver his wife and their two daughters ran out to the yard to see their visitor, out of breath with excitement. Yes, the Klee-Klee Bird sat there swaying happily on the branches of a tree.The sight of his scarlet feathers and the dazzling crown was too much for them all. They gathered around the tree in great joy and he for his part was enjoying the flutter his coming had caused. He seemed royalty itself as he held himself with great dignity and aplomb. After a pause, he stopped swaying and addressed them thus. So he could speak! This was amazing!
"I have come to thank you for your kindness in looking after me and for saving my life." They listened in silence not knowing what to say, struck quite dumb with everything. He continued, "So I have come to reward you for your kindness!"
So saying he dropped something that resembled a precious stone and flapping his wings he flew away, as if embarrassed with its gift. And what was it, by the way?
The weaver, his wife and the children had all glimpsed it. It had seemed like a precious stone for it had dazzled for a brief moment as it had fallen on the ground. It had fallen into the patch below the tree.The weaver began to look for it in and among the grass there. His wife too joined him. So did the children. They searched and searched but to their amazement found nothing. But they were sure they had seen it falling Now where could it have disappeared?
"Do you think he was having fun and playing a trick on us"asked the weaver. His wife said, "I don't think so. May be he wants us to dig the ground here. Who knows we may find a treasure?"
So they began to dig. They dug the whole afternoon. But , no they could find nothing. The man was exhausted.He did'nt know what to make of it. But his wife didn't give up so easily. She dug into the ground the whole evening. Suddenly, she thought she had struck something. She called out in great excitement.
"I think there is a metal jar or something!" The weaver began to dig. His wife was right. They discovered two huge brass jars filled to the brim with gold, silver and precious stones. What a gift!The children danced for joy. The Klee Klee Bird had given them such a generous gift. And what had they given?A few sips of milk. A cardboard box to sleep!"
"Do you see?"asked the wife weeping tears of joy, "That all giving is like this? I mean we give so little of whatever we have only to be given back in ample measure!"
The weaver said, "Now we can give our guests a full meal.I am so happy!"
"We couldn't even thank the bird! He flew away as if embarrassed.", said his wife.
So a new life began for the good couple. They had been amply rewarded for their goodness. They did not want to live here anymore. Because, if they did the news of their good fortune would spread and now they would be the target of their envy and jealousy. So they left bag and baggage to another place where they could set up their home. They found a very pretty place on the outskirts of a huge forest, beside a gentle stream.This seemed an ideal place to build their house. They used the treasure to build their house and equip themselves There was more than enough for their needs and so they buried the rest of it in a secret place below the house.
The weaver continued his profession and now luck seemed to favour him.The cloth he spun began to be in great demand. So, his wife too gave a hand and the girls too. When the girls were old enough they were given away in marriage. The old couple continued to live as simply as before. Travellers continued to knock at their doors and whoever came found plenty to eat there. Those who wished to spend a night found beds to sleep upon and blankets to caver themselves in the winter season.Thus they continued to get the blessings and good wishers of the passers by
Many a time the weaver and his wife stopped in the midst of their work to ask themselves about their benefactor. Where was he - this beautiful Klee-Klee Bird? Was he really an angel come in shape of a bird and left them a fortune so they never need starve again? They remembered his scarlet feathers and his dazzling crown studded with precious stones. How happily he had swung in their old backyard and called out so sweetly. They could recall every detail as vividly as if it was yesterday. They could hear him flapping his wings joyously and stretching his beak and crying,
"Klee! Klee! Klee! Klee|!"
