- Grandma, Mom and Dad told us we are ready for the fire hawk story. Can you tell us what it is about?
- Oh, if your parents deem you ready, I shall reveal the story of the fire hawk. Well once upon… no, actually a few times upon time, in the deepest depths of the Australian forests, there lived a hawk. That hawk was filled with a passion that no other bird could understand. They hated the hawk for its fascination, and they never welcomed it. The hawk grew up used to the loneliness and the rejection and kept on focussing on its passion. As the bird aged, it was waiting for its opportunity to show the world what it learnt all these years.
- What’s the passion the hawk learnt, Grandma?
- Patience children, do not let curiosity consume you. One day, the hawk called the entire flying menagerie to the highest point of the forest. Surprised by how many birds of all sorts actually showed up, magpies, cockatoos, parrots, babblers, lyrebirds, it started to panic and forgot the speech it prepared. “I… I wanted to say many things, complain about many more, yet I shall only word this: My passion will save us all one day.” The assembly started laughing and screeching and tweeting and chirping and peeping. Some started flying away, others threw sticks and stones at the hawk as they went back to their nests. The hawk remained silent and imperturbable. The birds, the noise, the sun began slowly disappearing, and the hawk remained silent, contemplating the majesty of the untamed forest. And the fire-red sun reflected in the bird's wicked eyes.
- Is the hawk angry now? Will it do something bad?
- Hmm I don’t know. All I know is that the hawk went to sleep and the life in the forest continued its natural course.
- No way! Something must have happened! And we still don’t know the hawk’s passion?
*long pause*
- As the months passed by, water became scarce and sun heat grew abundant. Drought conquered the forests. And as it is of nature’s custom, wildfires spread in these vulnerable woods. And the panic amongst animals spread a little faster. The hawk flew up to comfortable heights and circled around the thriving flames. A sudden euphoria filled up the bird’s body. The fire is beautiful. The real majesty of nature. The hawk spotted what it was looking for: a branch on fire. With surgical precision, it performed a dive, fetched the stick, and carried the flames in its beak.
- What? Why would it do that? It would burn itself!
- Yes, yet the hawk knew what it was doing. It dropped the stick and its passion for fire made the blaze grow even larger. It witnessed the insects and lizards, and other delicious treats flee from one death to the next: the hawk itself. It took advantage of the catastrophe and turned it into a feast for all the birds. It was very much needed after a long period of hunger and aridity.
- So the fire saved the birds from starving! Wow, the others must like the hawk now.
- Unfortunately, they denied the hawk’s heroic action and accused it of worsening the situation by burning more of the forest.
- What happened to the fire hawk grandma?
- It continued living in solitude and died peacefully.
- But it’s not fair! The hawk was so nice to everyone all the time, and the other birds are not accepting it.
- Nature is cruel and forgiving. We are learning to understand its ways. Let the passion burn, yet not ravage.