Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
In the warm tree hole, there were over a dozen dark green eggs that were the size of an adult’s fist. The entrance of the tree hole was sealed with a thin layer of mud; the mud was also mixed with some hay.
Coo. Coo. From outside the tree hole, one could hear the unique call of the egg-thief bird, similar to the cooing of a widow that lived next door.
After ensuring there was no response to its call, the egg-thief bird was happy. It carefully reached its claws out toward the dry mud on the tree hole and gently started scraping. Soon, it had scraped a big hole in the front of the tree hole.
It sneakily peered through the big hole into the tree. Its eyes shone when it saw the eggs.
Coo. Coo. Coo… The exuberant call of the egg-thief bird could be heard from the rest of the woods.
Struggling into the tree hole, the sharp beak pecked an eggshell, and the thick yellow yolk flowed out.
Two slender legs scrambled around, one by one, as the eggs near the tree hole were kicked down.
Rustle— The shrubs shook. After a while, a tiny head peeked out of the bushes. A pair of inquisitive eyes spun, and its yellow-green features were alert.
What’s that sound?
A Green Parrot bounced out of the shrubs, and its little face was filled with vigilance. This was the most cautious parrot on the hillside! After rummaging through the thick grass for a while, the Green Parrot found a dark green egg that was bigger than its belly.
The Green Parrot spread open its wings, wearing an incredulous look. The egg was so big! It slyly looked around, then used its belly to lift the egg and head to its nest.
Upon returning to the nest, the Green Parrot swallowed its saliva. Although it liked eating berries and fresh leaves, it occasionally ate small bugs, earthworms, and similar insects to satisfy its appetite.
It refused to admit that it was too stupid to catch bugs. Those bugs were just too cunning.
A huge egg like this had to be delicious.
The Green Parrot swallowed its saliva and danced happily in the nest. Where should I start? The Green Parrot was in a dilemma. Its belly bumped into the egg, and its thick beak was like a backhand punch to the shell. The egg swayed, and a web-like crack appeared in the place where it was hit.
The Green Parrot was knocked backward by the force. It stupidly shook its head, then raised it again, ready for action! Hey!
Crack. The egg finally broke open.
The Green Parrot revealed the happy smile of an old farmer ready to reap his harvest. A large black gap the size of a thumb appeared in the shell. From the gap, a small emerald green head appeared.
The Green Parrot’s smile stiffened. Its small eyes promptly turned into a glare. It screamed loudly, the hair on its short neck instantly exploding, and its scream sounded like a powerful monster. “Squawk, squawk, squawk!”
The little Green Snake was stunned. It looked around with confusion, then looked at the Green Parrot.
The Green Parrot plucked up its courage. Its two wings shrank into fists, and it screamed again. “Squawk, squawk, squawk!!”
The little Green Snake slithered out of the egg, wrapped itself around the Green Parrot, and licked the parrot’s face.
The Green Parrot gazed into the distance solemnly. Just like that, the little Green Snake became the second owner of the small nest. Every day, the food the Green Parrot brought back from the outside was halved to share with the small Green Snake.
The small Green Snake’s appetite grew, as did its size. No matter how hard the Green Parrot struggled, it wasn’t able to fill the little Green Snake’s stomach.
Gradually, winter came, and the little Green Snake went into hibernation. The Green Parrot cried, sadly. The snake that it had raised had died. While crying, its mouth shifted over.
Clang! The hibernating small Green Snake had exceptionally hard scales. When the Green Parrot found that it wasn’t able to chew on the snake, it cried even more sadly.
After three days of sadness, the heartless Green Parrot forgot all about the small Green Snake that was buried in the soil and went about its usual cautious life.
In the springtime of the next year, the little Green Snake woke up from the soil. This hibernation had awoken its ancestral memory; it finally knew that the silly Green Parrot wasn’t its mother.
After looking around, the little Green Snake finally looked back at the nest and slowly climbed out of the nest. Ten minutes after the little Green Snake left the nest, the Green Parrot bounced back into the nest with a fat berry.
A snake and a bird crossed paths.
