Acts of Kindness

ONCE upon a time, in a forest in Europe during the Middle Ages, a golden eagle was soaring over the cliffs looking for prey. He was a magnificent bird with fearsome talons and massive wings. He finally spotted a large wood rat scurrying about on the ground below and went into a dive. Just as he was about to sink his talons into the back of the hapless rat, the eagle felt a sinuous form fling itself on his neck. It was a viper! She had launched herself on the eagle from the branch of a tree.

Now she tightened her hold around his neck, trying to find a suitable spot to strike and deliver her venom. The eagle struggled desperately to throw the viper off, trying to peck her with his sharp beak, but she clung on grim ly. He was fast losing strength when help came from an unexpected quarter. A huntsman who was passing by, saw the scene, and taking pity on the regal bird, caught the snake by her tail and pulled her off. The eagle managed to run a few feet across the ground and fly to a low tree where he perched to gather his wits.

The viper hissed in fur y, turned and tried to bite the huntsman on hist high. However, he was too quick for her and sidestepped. Her fangs sank instead into the drinking horn that hung from his belt. She felt the venom drip into the horn and was glad. The next time he put it to his mouth to drink, he would taste death. She slithered away into the forest.

The huntsman walked on, and coming to a clear stream, unbuckled his drinking horn and bent to fill it with water. As he raised it to his mouth, he felt a great rush of wings. The eagle swooped down and snatched the horn out of his hands and flew away with it. He saw neither the bird nor the horn again.