The Forest Fire

From Twenty Jataka Tales retold by Noor Inayat Khan, with illustrations by H. W. Le Mair (1939): page.

The Forest Fire

"Be good, my little ones," said Mother Quail to seven little quails, chirping in the next. "Mother and Father will bring you worms, and insects, and grass-seeds."

But each time Mother and Father Quail returned to the next, six little quails caught the worms and insect,s but the seventh only at the grass-seeds. And so while the wings of his brothers grew strong and firm, the little one's wings did not grow at all.

One night when the little family were tucked up cozily, they were awakened by sad cries from the heart of the forest. Mother and Father Quail and the seven little quails peeped out of the next.

What were those fiery red clouds hovering over the distant trees?

The little quails began to cry, and Mother and Father held them tight within their wings.

Crackle . . . crackle . . . bzz . . . bzz . . .  roared the large red clouds.

"See, Father," exclaimed the seventh little one, "it is a fire in the woods."

The glowing flames advanced with the speed of wind through the forest, burning every bush and tree in their path. The roar came nearer and nearer, and soon the fire approached the nest. There was no time to lose and, dashing forth, Mother and Father Quail and the six little quails flew away. But the seventh little one remained alone, he had no wings to fly with.

Bzz . . . bzz . . . roared the large red clouds as they danced around the nest. But the little one was not afraid; he gazed steadily at the flames with his two small twinkling eyes, and in his soft chirping voice he spoke to them.

"I am small," he said, "and have no wings. Why do you come to this wee nest where I am left alone? Go your way, mighty flames; there is nothing here for you."

As he spoke, the aging fire slunk away and disappeared through the trees, and the forest became silent.

By and by little voices arose from the moss, and the frogs signaled that all was clear. One by one, little heads peeped out of their hiding-places. The smoke clouds had blown far away, and Queen Moon smiled once more through the trees. Little Quail also smiled in his nest as he saw the forest waking up again, and he lived there happy ever after.