Quarreling Quails

This is an ancient fable from the land of India.

Years ago there was a quail hunter who was very successful catching quail by throwing a net over a flock when they gathered together on the ground. A wise old quail told the quails that this wouldn't happen if they worked together. The old quail instructed them that if any of them were captured in the hunter's net, all they had to do was stick their heads through the mesh of the net and begin flying. If they all worked together they could lift the net and take it to a thorn bush and lower it on top of it and escape. The next time the hunter came, he threw his net over a small flock on the ground. They did as the old quail had instructed. With their heads sticking through the mesh, they all began to fly. Sure enough the net lifted off the ground. They flew to the thorn bush, placed the net on top of it and walked away.

This was working marvelously until one day. One of the quail accidently stepped on the foot of another quail. An argument broke out between them and soon others joined in. This time when the hunter's net landed on them, they were so angry and preoccupied with bad feelings, they refused to work together.  All of them were captured and taken to the market to be sold.

The wise old quail saw what happened. He took a group of quails that agreed to get along and flew to a new spot to live. The hunter never was successful at getting any of those quail; they always worked out their differences and worked together to survive.

Blessings,

Pastor Jerry