There were two men who were neighbors to each other, living in a distant
country where they had to labor hard for the support of their families.
One of them was greatly troubled to know who would take care of his
children if he should die. But the other man was not so troubled, and
was always very cheerful, saying to his neighbor: "Never distrust
Providence."
One day as the sorrowful man was laboring in the fields, sad and cast
down, he saw some little birds enter a bush, go out and then return
again. He went towards the bush, and saw two nests side by side, and in
both nests some little birds, newly hatched and still without feathers.
He saw the old birds go in a number of times, and they carried in their
bills food to give their little ones.
At one time, as one of the mothers returned with her beak full, a large
vulture seized her and carried her away; and the poor mother, struggling
vainly under its talons, uttered piercing cries. He thought the little
young birds must certainly die, as they had now no mother to take care
of them. He felt so bad about them that he did not sleep any that night.
The next day, on returning to the fields, he said to himself: "I will
see the little ones of this poor mother, some without doubt have already
perished."
He went up to the bush, and saw that the little ones in both nests were
all alive and well. He was very much surprised at this, and he hid
himself behind the bush to see what would happen. After a little time he
heard a crying of the birds, and soon the second mother came flying into
the bush with her beak full of food, and distributed it all among the
little birds in both nests. He now saw that the orphan birds were as
well provided for as when their own mother was living.
In the evening he related the whole story to his neighbor, and said to
him:
"I will never distress myself again about who will take care of my
children, if I should die before them."
His neighbor replied: "Let us always believe, hope, love, and pursue our
course in peace. If you die before me, I take care of your children,
and if I die before you, you will be a father to mine; and if we are
both taken away before our children are able to provide for themselves,
there is a Father in heaven."