Parrot in a golden cage

Surabhi was a bright and lively child. She was 6 years old and loved to go to school where she had many friends. Everyone at school was fond of her. One afternoon she came home with a grim face. Her cheeks were blotched with dried tears and eyes showed fear and anxiety. Her mother took her water bottle and bag as she descended from the school bus. They were walking towards their home which was a 2 min walk from the bus stop. Sarita noticed that her daughter was upset about something and thought may be she had lost her sharpener or pencil at school and was scared to tell her. She tried to start a conversation with Surabhi but Surabhi did not open her mouth.

After reaching home, Surabhi changed her clothes and sat at the table to have her snacks. In order to cheer her up, Sarita started telling her a story. 

“An old lady had a pet parrot. She loved him a lot and called him Popatlal. Popatlal was pampered a lot. He stayed in a golden cage and got the best of nuts and fruits to eat. Popatlal was very talkative. He would often repeat anything spoken by the humans at home. One day he was sad and was lost in thoughts. When the old lady asked him the reason for his sorrow, he told her that he led a monotonous life. He wanted to fly like other birds. After all he was also a bird. He wanted to fly and enjoy the open air. He loved his cage but didn’t want to be confined to the cage all the time. The old lady hung her head. She was over protective about Popatlal. She knew that he couldn’t face the cruel world of humans and didn’t want him to venture out. But she had second thoughts. May be Popatlal was right. He deserved his share of freedom provided, he maintained constant vigilance when he was outdoors. Finally both of them agreed that Popatlal would go out in the morning and return home before sunset. Popatlal was happy and the old lady was teary eyed. She warned Popatlal of the various dangers that lay outside. She told him to be away from humans and any creature bigger than him. May it be a bird or animal. The first few days passed without any event. By now Popatlal realized that he was way slower than the others of his kin. He knew that it was due to lack of practice. The birds living in the wild were more exposed to the dangers of the world and hence were swift at escaping and rescuing themselves. One day Popatlal came home in the evening gasping and panting. The old lady was shocked to see him in that state. His usually aligned feathers were bent in wrong directions. On enquiring him, Popatlal told her that when he was feeding on a juicy fruit, he hadn’t noticed a cat approach him until it grabbed him in its claws. He escaped from it by nibbling at its face. The old lady was proud of Popatlal and happy that he was safe. She embraced him and told him to stay put in his cage. But Popatlal, adorning a brave smile told the old lady that he was capable of defending himself and was no more scared of the dangers lying outside. ”

Surabhi was quietly listening to the story and by the end of it, her expression was of question mark. Sarita asked her “Didn’t you like the story? I thought you would love it. Did you not understand something? Do you want me to repeat it?”

Surabhi replied, “I understood the story. But I did not understand something. Can I ask you a question?”

“First tell me what did you understand?”

“I am Popatlal, you are the old lady of the story and our home, where I have every luxury and which is safe, is the golden cage. But no matter what, I should be brave like Popatlal to face the outside world.”

Sarita was confused and amazed as to how could Surabhi relate her world with the story. She asked, “What is it that you did not understand?”

“Mom, unlike the old lady of the story, why didn’t you warn me? Why didn’t you tell me to stay away from the janitor and that he is a bad guy who would be groping inside my clothes?”