There lived a shopkeeper and a little bird. The shopkeeper was simple, and the bird was very little.
The shopkeeper hated the little bird because the little bird would take what he needed from the shopkeeper. One day the shopkeeper, with a broom in his hands, angrily confronted the little bird. Little bird, he said, why do you take from me? The little bird replied, I am little and I only take what I need, and the little bird flew away. The shopkeeper went back to sweeping his floors, but he was angry. He did not like that the bird would take from him.
Nearby, two birds landed in a dead tree. One was very large the other was very small. These birds were hideous and deformed. They saw the shopkeeper in the distance and they looked down upon him with evil greedy eyes. But when they saw the little bird they became fearful, so they flew away with contempt.
On a fateful day the shopkeeper finally demanded the little bird leave. Little bird, you can no longer take from me, you must go away! The little bird replied, I am little and I only take what I need, but if you want me to go away, I will. And with that the little bird flew away and said goodbye.
Years passed and the little bird returned. The land had been ravaged. It was barren, picked clean, everything was dead. The little bird found the shopkeeper walking among the wasteland aimlessly. The shopkeeper saw the little bird and spoke. Little bird I am ruined, I have lost everything! What have you done to me? The little bird flew away and never returned.
