A LITTLE BIRD TOLD ME.........

King Fez was in a discussion of affairs of state with his Chief Minister (CM). Fez ruled the island of Bugbe on planet Tellus. After they had finished the discussion Fez was in a less serious mood and said “CM, we reward poets who praise me but ignore people who contribute to our knowledge.”

“Not so Your Majesty. I had suggested that you honour the midwife Wizma. But you had laughed and said she only knows the insides of women.”

“What’s there that we don’t know about women’s bodies? Every man handles those parts and consigns the women to Wizma.”

“Sire, Wizma looks deep inside women and comes to certain conclusions. She systematically gathers information and uses the knowledge gained. She asks herself questions like why did the baby have a hare lip  or why was the baby discoloured? The woman has curiosity, patience and courage to handle women patients and has become a specialist. We must refer to such people as scientists.”

The king laughed and said “What’s the knowledge she gets?”

“Sire she has told me about how there’re more births during new moon and full moon. She has told me about maternal impression affecting a baby: A woman who was no beauty produced a beautiful girl child. That was because she had seen a beautiful sculpture of a female when her husband was coupling with her. She said she had seen babies born with great maleness as the woman had seen the parts of an ass when she had conceived. These are conclusions gained from experience. She can be called a scientist.”

Fez said “That woman’s profession apart, what can be called scientific investigation?”

CM thought a bit and said “Sire, you know we’ve financed Blinq.”

“I do. The bird man.”

CM nodded and said “He’s also a scientist who has studied people. Now middle-aged, he took up study of bird language which is very difficult without much listening and observation. I know Blinq started with a pair of parrots in a small cage. Now he has a large cage where they can fly but can’t escape. He has also some students learning under his guidance.”

Fez said “I also know that Blinq’s wife Blanch alleges he can’t understand bird talk.”

CM said “Sire your knowledge is deep indeed. You know how that allegation started. One day Blinq found her in the arms of Hent, one of his students. Following that, Blanch has turned against him. It is said that due to her immoral behaviour, he had turned to be intimate with Minch, one of the students researching under his guidance. Blinq told me he is trying to get pigeons we send to spy on enemies, to talk. Your Majesty, that would be a very useful move.”

Fez said “That was the reason you had recommended that Blinq should be encouraged. As moved by you I’ve given him a big house to live in. That’s where I hear he has built a large net for captured birds.”

“Your Majesty, he is said to be still struggling to understand pigeons. They’re it seems largely dumb but he is confident he can make them talk.”

“You’ve set apart much money for scientific endeavour since the last two years.”

“Sire I’m sure the expenditure will yield result in course of time.”

The meeting ended.

One evening, Blanch was in bed with Blinq after dinner.

Blanch said “I can’t forget you had a great time with Minch ostensibly to revenge yourself for my having stood close to Hant. Remember I wasn’t in bed with Hant. He had been merely demonstrating how birds react when in love with his hands opened out like wings.”

“You’ve got it wrong. I move with Minch closely as she’s my best student. You tried to get even with me by getting close to Minch. She told me how she had a tough time warding you off.”

She laughed and said “I was also experimenting like you do with birds! You can‘t bluff all people all the time. You put a female bird into a cage with a male and say, ‘he says what he wants to do with her’. It’s all a fraud. You don’t know bird talk.”

“Shut up! What I’m doing  is scientific research. I must have quoted bird talk.”

She laughed again and said “You brought a bird with an injury and told me what other birds had said: ‘So sorry to see you hurt’. That’s openly your dialogue. No bird talk that! The birds simply cackled. In spite of all your bluffs, the king has allowed you to live in this large house.”

He said “I’m going to get very angry if you continue in that vein. You’re doing it to revenge yourself for my having moved closely with Minch. You’ve only to blame for it with your mistaken impression. And you tried to seduce Minch. She told me about it but didn’t succumb. She is worldly wise.”

She again laughed and said “I’m not Minch to be fooled. Of course I’ve learnt from her about what all birds say. The birds merely cackle when you throw bird seeds into the cages! And you claim you can understand them talk.”

Blinq was now serious when he said “Listen Blanch. I’m going to tell you a secret. Keep it confidential. It seems a little bird told Minch that a comet has appeared in the east which forecasts that the king may die. Now come to me and forget Minch and her bird talk. See I’m in the mood.” She had no alternative.

Blanch was a loud mouthed gossip, and soon the bird’s prophecy was widespread public knowledge. When Fez got to know about it he at once summoned CM when Blanch and Blinq were present and said “Blinq you’ve taken me for a ride and used it to have a good time with Minch. My financing you has only been a waste of public  money. I’m ejecting you from Bugbe for two years as punishment. I’ve checked my defences and found them to be intact. My enemies have been suppressed. Since Blanch has spoken the truth though late, she is pardoned. And I don’t believe in the comet forecast.”

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That was how Blanch got together with the young and handsome Hent with whom she was in love.

Fez spoke to CM in confidence: “In future I’ll closely monitor all work of scientists. I’ve learnt a lesson. I’m convinced that birds don’t talk amongst themselves and what was happening was only siphoning off public money. We’ve both been taken for a ride.”

 Forced out of his home Blinq left for his exile swearing at birds for his predicament.

END