Now, one of the quails was very wise, and he
said:--
``Brothers! I've thought of a good plan. In
future, as soon as the fowler throws his net over
us, let each one put his head through a mesh in
the net and then all lift it up together and fly
away with it. When we have flown far enough,
we can let the net drop on a thorn bush and escape
from under it.''
All agreed to the plan; and next day when the
fowler threw his net, the birds all lifted it together
in the very way that the wise quail had
told them, threw it on a thorn bush and escaped.
While the fowler tried to free his net from the
thorns, it grew dark, and he had to go home.
This happened many days, till at last the
fowler's wife grew angry and asked her husband:--
``Why is it that you never catch any more
quail?''
Then the fowler said: ``The trouble is that all
the birds work together and help one another. If
they would only quarrel, I could catch them fast
enough.''
A few days later, one of the quails accidentally
trod on the head of one of his brothers, as they
alighted on the feeding-ground.
``Who trod on my head?'' angrily inquired the
quail who was hurt.
``Don't be angry, I didn't mean to tread on
you,'' said the first quail.
But the brother quail went on quarreling.
``I lifted all the weight of the net; you didn't
help at all,'' he cried.
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