The swans and crows of the world

BACK in the 1970s, my father-in-law was serving as a minister in the Punjab government. Once, a peon in his office misbehaved grossly. My husband told his father to dismiss the employee. However, he chose to counsel the erring peon. He said: ‘The ink in my pen has the strength to ruin this boy’s career. But I would prefer to give him a chance to mend his ways. My pen can be used for better things.’

I got to know about this episode when an octogenarian friend of my late father-in-law came over for dinner. He told us the story of a prince who was going on horseback to another province. The sweltering heat made him feel tired. He halted and lay down to take a nap under a tree. The sun’s rays, beating down on his face through the branches, irritated him. Just then, a swan landed on a branch above his head and spread out its wings. The swan’s wings shielded the prince from the sunlight. He smiled in appreciation at his newly found guardian angel and dozed off. A few minutes later, a crow came by and saw the swan protecting the prince from the sun. The crow sat on the branch just under the swan and pooped. The droppings fell on the prince’s face. He woke up startled and disgusted, spitting out the muck that was splattered on his moustaches and lips. The prince looked up, saw the swan and in a fit of rage, lashed out at it with his sword. He chopped off its outstretched wings. The swan fell off the tree, writhing in pain, while the scheming crow laughed. Seeing the crow laughing wickedly, the prince realised what had transpired, but it was too late to undo the misdeed.

After finishing the story, our visitor smiled and said: ‘Some people protect us with wings outstretched, not because it’s their duty to do so but just because they know that it’s the right thing to do. Your dad was like that.’ My husband remarked: ‘Yes, it’s not easy to be a swan. Moreover, the intentions of those around us are difficult to gauge.’

I was reminded of what Sri Sathya Sai Baba said: ‘Duty without love is deplorable, duty with love is desirable, love without duty is divine.’ There are still some swans in this world, even though there are plenty of crows that make trouble and celebrate over the rubble.

And yes, the pen is mightier than the sword. It should be used to write what is right. As Lord Byron said: ‘A drop of ink may make a million think.’