A Fisher Man and ‘Kaha’, The Heavenly Bird

In a village, there lived a fisherman. Feeble with age, he could no longer go out to sea. So, he started fishing in the river.

Every morning he would go down to the river and sit there fishing the whole day. In the evening, he would sell the caught fish in the market and buy some food for himself and go home. This kind of living was too hard for the old man.

One sunny afternoon, while he was bemoaning his fate and trying to keep awake, a large bird with silvery feathers came and sat on a rock near him. It was Kaha, the heavenly bird. Upon seeing it, the Old man got surprised and said, “Oh! What a huge bird. Who are  you?”

In reply to his words, the heavenly bird replied, “I am Kaha. I came from heaven.” Kaha bird asked, “Is there no one for you to look over, grandpa?” “You should not be doing such work at your age.” It said. The fisherman replied, “Who will feed me?”With all its heart, Kaha said, “From now on, I will bring you a big fish every evening. Sell it and live in comfort.” The old man feeling happy thanked the heavenly bird.

From that day, Being loyal to its words, Kaha bird began to drop a big fish at the doorstep every evening. The Fisherman used to sell that big fish by taking it to the marketplace. The Old man started to have more money as the big fish were in demand. He bought a new cottage near the sea with a nice garden around it. He appointed a servant to cook for him.

One day, when the old man was at home, the soldier’s from the king’s palace gave an announcement. That was, “Our king has got news about a large bird, Kaha. Whoever gives the information and helps catch it will be rewarded with gold in the royal treasury and will be made a king of half the kingdom.

The fisherman got tempted by the reward and asked, “Why does the king want that bird?” They answered, “the king has lost his sight. One gentleman advised bathing his eyes in the blood of the Kaha bird. Do you know where  it can be found?” He replied, “No, I don’t know.”

The fisherman was stuck between his greediness and gratitude toward the bird. By noticing the incoherent reply from him, Soldiers informed the king, “Your Majesty, the old man knows something about the bird but he is not informing us.” The king ordered, “Bring him to the palace, right now!”

The fisherman was brought to the palace and was told by the king directly regarding the treasury and kingdom as announced for giving information about Kaha. The fisherman became greedy, hearing the king’s words about wearing the crown for half the kingdom. He said, “Kaha is strong. I will need help.” King asked to take whoever he wants for catching Kaha.

Fisherman and soldier together came out of the palace. That evening, Kaha bird came with fish, and the fisherman called out to wait, and he wants to talk to it for thanking it for the help. “Today, I have laid out a feast for you inside, Please come in.” He pleaded. “I don’t want anything,” Kaha said. But, Oldman requested for such a long time that the bird came and alighted.

The moment the bird was on the ground, he grabbed its leg and shouted to the soldiers hiding inside to come and catch the bird. As Kaha bird was huge, their effort went in vain, and couldn’t keep Kaha down.

Kaha rose into the air along with the fisherman clinging onto its leg. By the time he realized that he had been carried away, he was too high in the air and got afraid. He hung on grimly. Kaha sadly said, “You heartless fellow. I felt you as a friend and helped you, but you are so greedy that you tried to trap me.”

The fisherman requested Kaha not to drop him anywhere else. “Forgive me Kaha, Please drop me at my home.” He cried. Kaha, as a heavenly bird, brought him back home and threw him at his home. That was the last time Kaha Came there.

Moral of Kaha Bird Story

Greed makes a man blind and foolish and can make him easy prey for death. So, Don’t be greedy for things or luxury. Satisfy with whatever you have; It gives you happiness.