Life Nestling

A BIRD TALE
by
Salim

           It is too late to do anything - shriek for help,make a dart for the hole in the mud or attempt at take off. The Farmer was  simply too fast. With wings all soaked with the rain,Murai could only muster a token of a struggle - too surprised by the suddenness and the swiftness,as a hand swooped it from it's hiding among the tall reeds of the padi stalks.The tiny claws that have served it well in holding it's body mass to the the padi plants during the onslaught of the the northern winds were no cutting tools. The bemused grin on the Farmer's face served to dampen whatever hopes it had in trying to cause injury to the woman's palm and thereby secure it's release.

           It is said that among the Murais there exists a belief of sorts. And in times like this that's the only thing left to confort oneself. "Keep to your Heart" goes an adage, and make a  "whisper in the wind", and the particles in the air and the pollen grains will take your plea home, and, if you are lucky, even beyond - over the ranges of the distant mountains, and across the rivers and valleys to that land beyond the clouds. And perchance that the particles are diverted by contending winds, you can put your trust in the tiny flies to pick the baton. Aid would surely be forthcoming. 

Copsychus Saularis Musicus, Oriental Magpie (Murai)

"Seek and you shall find. Ask and it shall be given." Bundled in a cloth girdle and as the Farmer makes her way to the village, our friend, the young Murai mutters his plea : "Happy are those whose domain is the sky and not this girdle..."

"What do you have there, Grandma ?"

"Just some loose padi, some Keli and Haruan...and yes, this small thing. Look ! Take it. Is it alive ?"

"Look at it Grandma ! Where did you find it ? It is so small and wet. Yes, it is  alive. I can feel the heart beat. The feathers  are cold  but I can feel the warmth of the heart beat. Is it a Mala Kerbau ?"

"Well..let's see...I did'nt notice it well earlier. I am afraid it is not a Mala Kerbau but a Murai. You can put it in that bamboo cage if you like and place that cage on the Para, near the stove. It will soon get dry."

"Can a Murai talk, Grandma ? I know Uncle Hadi's Mala Kerbau can....."

"That you must ask your uncle. The Murai is very much a bird of the skies eventhough it's habit is to scurry on the ground. The Mala Kerbau, on the other hand, is a bird of the earth - that's why it is called by that name, which means kawan kerbau (friend of the buffalo). He..he...he.."

"Ah ! yes, a little Murai. What do you want to do with it ? If you want a pet,  its better to get a Merbuk. Murais are noisy, but Merbuks...now those can really sing !"

"Can you teach it to talk...like what you did to Awang ?"

"You mean Jantan ? Jantan is a Mala Kerbau..That's different. Murais cannot talk. Itu adat burung (that's the law of the birds). The Puyuh, for example,does not have a tail. You can't change that. You can try feeding it with all sorts of grains, but it will still not grow a tail. That's why we have the saying :

Mati Puyuh hendakkan ekor."
(To pine for a tail) 

"Baik lah..! Baik lah..!. Esok bawa Murai tu ke rumah Pak Long. Pi dok jauh-jauh sikit. Pak Long nak cakap dengan Tok sekejap..hai, macam Murai pula dia !."
(Ok.!Ok !, bring Murai to my house tomorrow. Go sit over there. I need to talk to your Grandma. You sound very much like a Murai..!.)

Kuuur ! Kuuuur !

                    I am Jantan. I do not know why you are here..but this is my cage. As you can  see, it is a beautiful cage. My Master over there...he takes  good care of me. Call me  Jantan, sometimes..Awang.  I am a Mala Kerbau. I used  to run wild around this house  and in that plot  of mud under the Cermai tree is the kerbau that I  used to befriend.  I kept the flies off his back so that  his tail could rest. Now..I am  way better off - no more slimy mud and the smell of that pool. No more dirty flies. Only the best and  juiciest  of hoppers and polished rice. Clear water, nice papayas and ripe bananas. In the mornings I would be given a bath. Nothing is more delightful than  a bath before breakfast...and when my Master snaps his fingers and call out my name, my heart goes out to him. Kuuur ! Kuuur! Look at my tongue. See how clean it is ! Cleaned by nothing less than a piece of silver. Destiny has been kind to me...Why, I can even speak the tongue of man. Listen to this :

Kuuuur ! A..w..a.ng ! Aaawang ! Kuuurr ! Haaadii ! Maaakaaan !

                    My master said that only Kakak Tuas and Mala Kerbaus can be taught. In the afternoons I would go out with my Master as he makes his rounds of the village. Sometimes he would stop at the stall by the river to sip his coffee. Children would then crowd  around and call my name.  Just imagine.  Me.....a bird commanding such attention ! And during those times that he ride his bicycle, I would perch myself on the handle... and I could feel  the wind  in my face. No longer do I need to  fly to  experience that. Of the sky and the clouds, I have  only dim memories...

               I am Murai and I am put in your cage by that boy over there for reasons best known to him. Two days ago, I was happily playing in the fields when I was taken captive by a Farmer. It was drizzling and my wet wings prevented me from avoiding the fateful incident. To man, I am known by many names. One such is  Copsychus Sauloris Musicus, perhaps by virtue of my incessant chirpings...but I care not for such name calling...for I am first and foremost AtTayr, a bird, like you. My essence is that of a bird.

             Man busies themselves with names, descriptions and analysis ! Why...they even give names to the different trees and plants. I, on the other hand prefers
to see the forest.

              I hail from the Nipah palms at the end of the village. It is there that I take my solace away from the sun. Seldom do I venture out when the sun is at it's peak. I spend most of my mornings at the edge of the water and in the late afternoons, in the golden sea of the padi fields.

The following morning.

"Apa lagi yang Pak Long dapat ceritakan tentang burung-burung ni ?
Seronok sekali Amjad dengar..."
(What else can you tell me Uncle, about the birds ? They are so fascinating)

"Tak pa lah, satu hari nanti Pak Long ceritakan tentang burung Hudhud, iaitu Utusan Nabi Allah Sulaiman ke Istana Raja Balqis...Seronok cerita tu. Salah satu tindak tanduk pelik yang terdapat pada burung ni ialah kalau kawannya mati dia tak kan mencari ganti buat selama-lamanya..."
(Maybe we keep that for one fine day..I will tell you the story of the Hoopoe,
the Emissary of Prophet Solomon to the palace of Queen Sheba. One characteristic of the Hoopoe is that, should it's mate die, it will not take a partner for the rest of it's life..."

Suddenly...

"Maati ! Kuuur ! Maaaati ! Mati ! Kuur !
(Death ! Death ! Death !)

"Apa dah jadi ni ! La....Murai Amjad mati ! Baru semalam dia duduk elok-elok.."
(What happened ? Why...the Murai is dead ! Only yesterday it was singing so beautifully..)

"Kesian ....!"
(What a pity !)

"Punya nak ajar cakap, la ni mati pula !"
(Just when you want to teach it to talk, it decides to die)

"Hai Jantan, apa dah jadi ni...."
(Jantan, what happened..)

"MATI !  Kuuur ! MAAATI ! ...MATI !

"Dah Aku kata..pantang ada dua ekor burung dalam satu sangkar"
(Did I not say that it does not augur well to have two birds in one cage)

"Hmm, mai kita keluarkan dia..nanti busuk ..."
(Hmm, come let's take it out of the cage before it stinks)

Slowly the man takes the Murai on the flat of his palm out of the cage.
And, as the man and the boy look at the inert body, Jantan makes a loud screech...

"MAAKAAAN ! MAAKAN ! MAKAAN !"
(Eat ! Eat ! Eat !)

Hearing the agreed signal, Murai flaps its wings and darts to the window sill.
Its heart pounding, it glances in the direction of the cage where the Mala Kerbau remains. And then, it flies away...

~END~