THE CROW

          Who said the crow is a dirty, stupid, brainless bird? It may be a little less brained, but it knows how to use the little brain it has and it is quite clever for that matter. We all must have heard the story of the Oesoph’s Fables in which a thirsty crow looking desperately for water, found some at the bottom of a pot. When it couldn’t reach it, it had found a heap of pebbles, from which she brought and dropped each pebble into the pot until the water rose up for the clever crow to drink. 

      

 

Crows also have brains. I can tell you confidently, with my own experience. I have a habit of leaving some food and water for birds and squirrels on my parapet wall.  Some crows regularly come and if there is no food they call me.  This morning I and my husband were sitting in our balcony with our  morning cup of coffee and newspapers.  There were biscuits and crumbs on the parapet.  Since the ledge was too narrow, I put a bowl of water on the other side of the pillar where the parapet is a little wider.  My favorite crow came and landed on the parapet. It picked up a piece of biscuit. Probably it had found it to be too crispy for its liking. While we were watching, it circled the pillar, stood on the other side, dropped the biscuit into the bowl of water, waited for a few seconds, picked it up, consumed it happily.  It repeated the act several times till all the biscuit pieces were over, looked at us as if thanking us and flew away.  Now, who can say crows are brainless?  This crow knew that a biscuit becomes soft when soaked in water.  

 

I once read about a crow how was a regular visitor to some one’s house.  It would even dare to fly up to the  dining table to pick up crumbs.  The lady of the house once kept a few cashew nuts in a saucer and covered it with an inverted cup.  The crow came, slowly pulled the cup with the handle in its beak to the edge of the table until the saucer and nuts crashed onto the ground.  She ate the nuts and flew away.  

 

So friends. Learn to respect the crow.  I also would like to request you all to be one with the nature.  All the other creatures merge with the nature.  It is only the human being who destroys the nature for his own benefit and betterment.  You observe the nature in your own way and you will learn a lot.  I am not asking you to go into wilderness to watch animals and birds.  Even in big cities, if you have the eyes and ears you will observe a lot of sounds and sites around you, especially early in the morning.  You will hear birds calling, squirrels chirping, parrots flying in search of their food.  Learn to enjoy all these. I especially request this of the children.  Be some times away from your computers and cell phones.  Nature will give you more lessons than these mechanical things. 

              

A. Vijaya Murthy (Jijji)

Visakhapatnam