The Golden Cage

It was a dense forest which was the most pleasant and most mysterious looking place any one could ever imagine. The tall and enormous trees created an umbrella which glowed during twilight when the last rays of the sun touched it. The high arc of the blue sky in this particular area of Yorkshire countryside seemed more brilliant and energetic than any other part of the country.

There was no tree that wasn't there. While Banyan, Mango and Willow trees provided home to several birds and animals, Bilberry, Lilac, Elder and Maple trees made the forest merry. The climbing wild roses covered the trees in such a way that the hazy tangle from tree to tree created light swaying curtains. The lush green grass talked to the endless beds of crocuses, snowdrops and daffodils.

 A huge willow stood in the middle of the forest which was a father like figure to all the other flora. It was the home of two beautiful and rare redbreast robins. They had a very peaceful life. They rolled on the velvety grass, flew to the treetop, enjoyed the cool breezes and sang their joys.

Once they were gliding in the sky and enjoying the pleasant winds when suddenly a voice came and thwack! They were caught in a net. They screeched in pain and fluttered their wings rapidly. "Two beautiful robins for my bird shop, Splendid! " exclaimed Robert, the bird catcher.

 Robert was a bird catcher and seller in the town market of Yorkshire. He kept the robins into two different cages and took them to the market.

The robins did not spend lot of time in Robert's shop. The little time they spent there was enough for them to learn human language. Robert sold them at a handsome price to two different people. He spent the whole day merrily because of his good sale but he didn't know that he was going to repent it, very soon.

One of the two buyers, Henry Colebrook kept his robin in a cage made of gold with golden utensils and a tiny golden swing. "Ah! You will have great and luxurious life now, dear one.' Henry exclaimed. Despite his golden fortune the robin used to cry in vain remembering his partner and his early life full of freedom. He was free to do everything, eat what he wanted, glide in the sky….

As the days passed, he started refusing to eat anything. Henry took him to the vet but found no fault in him. On the other side, the other robin felt the same deep in pain. She didn't want to eat or drink anything. She became lean and ill. As different thoughts emerged in both of the robins' minds, one idea was common, the question - "Will I ever be free?"
There, thinking about his lack of freedom, Henry's robin began cursing his owner. He used to scream at Henry for caging him and not letting him be free. 

One day while the robin was screaming, Henry came close to him and asked "Haven't you looked around yourself for once, you are living a very beautiful life. House made of gold, delicious food, not everyone gets such a comfortable life. Then why do you scream at me and still want to live on those bare, useless trees and be fed upon wild bitter fruits? "

"Your words have proved that you think too foolishly, dear human. You haven't understood the value of freedom because you haven't been deprived of it. It is more precious than any of the biggest wealth. When you will be captivated rather in your own surroundings, you will realise the value of true freedom. "said the robin in rather a low voice.

"This Robin, oh my gosh. Hey,I am more intelligent than you. Don't say such stupid things to me. Freedom isn't necessary where this is wealth." exclaimed Henry and went off for his work. As usual he didn't realize what his robin said about captivation could happen too.

Five years went by. The robin grew old but his theory for freedom and his curses never changed, nor Henry's. One day he heard Henry talking to someone about a global pandemic and its precautions. Henry had to stay in his home, far from all his relatives, all alone for indefinite time.
"Ha ha ha" laughed the robin when he saw Henry tensed. "So it's the time for you to repent for what you did to me. Ain't this Karma that came back to you? You snatched my freedom and destiny took away yours."

Henry thought for a while and opened the door of the robin's cage. He flew out of the window in a fraction of a second.
Henry sat down on the couch and thought about the robin's words. Would really this situation snatch his freedom away?
After being captivated in his own house for many days he realised that freedom is king of all sentiments. A person without freedom is a person without life.
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