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The Lady of the Void motioned for her Student to sit with her on the shaded steps of a temple ruin. The Student came and sat beside her. The Lady looked out to the wider world momentarily before turning to her Student and asking, "Have you ever heard the Parable of the Bird Feeder?"

"I have not," the Student answered.

"Then let me tell it.

In the countryside of the Storied Lands there lived an old man who, due to his age, could no longer be a vigorous Actor. Moreover, even if he wanted to perform slower stories, his kinsmen had deserted him for he had, as a good Actor should, made many enemies in his time. So exiled, he lived alone in a small house far from the city where he had matured.

Out in his fields, there was no one. For a time he was content with lamenting his fate, being sure to go outside and weep openly to the ethereal Audience. But of course, daily wailing is not very entertaining. He needed to find a new source of inspiration before the Audience deemed him unsuitable.

Eventually, he went outside with a smiling face. 'Today, we write a new chapter!' he exclaimed. He had no tangible plan other than to make a great show of improvisation. So, around and around his house he went, flipping over stones, pretending to stumble and struggle, gazing intently at the singular tree on his lot, babbling aloud like a fool, until a sweet chirp caught his attention. He halted his nonsense to look up and locate the source of the sound. Lo! Resting in the tree was a curious bird.

As you know, those of the Storied Lands cannot so easily break free of their ways. Upon seeing the bird, his face distorted into a frantic grin. He had found his inspiration. Tangled fantasies poured into his mind. He envisioned himself wise savior of the birds, who the Audience would surely come to love. They'd see him as some handsome, mystical, wonderful sage of avian splendor. People from his city would then 'flock,' like birds, to him, to bask in his radiance. All would be forgiven.

So, the old man went to his small crops, which were ironically in a tented veranda to keep the birds off of them, and harvested seeds. As a benevolent sage should, he would deign to cut into his own food stores just to feed the fragile wanting birds. How magnanimous was he!

Every day he would go outside and spread seeds on the ground. Every day the birds would come and feast in his yard. He put out so much food for them that they remained in his yard until sundown. He began calling himself the Bird Feeder.

The Bird Feeder thought himself magnificent. He was doing a good thing! He knew how hard a bird's life must be. Their squabbles within his yard proved that they were hungry. How viciously they would fight over bits of food! And he was sure the Audience enjoyed watching the birds quarrel with one another, only for him to step outside and quell their disagreements by graciously scaring them all back into his tree.

Of course, with that many small birds consistently congregating in his yard, nature was bound to notice. What follows small birds are larger birds."

The Lady of the Void paused, thickly inhaling and sighing. "Here, my Student, brace yourself for suffering." Her Student did so.

The Lady continued, "One day, a hawk swooped down on the birds and they scattered. An unfortunate feathered friend did not have time to choose her flight path. She bolted for the Bird Feeder's house. His window, which reflected the sky, confused her. She smashed headfirst into it."

A single tear rolled down the Lady's cheek as her Student shuddered from feeling a tenth of the bird's pain.

The Lady laboriously continued, "The Bird Feeder heard this and immediately rushed outside. The bird was dazed, on the ground, dying. The hawk rested nearby in the tree.

A heroic feeling swelled within the Bird Feeder's breast. He was going to comfort the bird in her last moments, shielding her from the villainous hawk. He stooped down, gingerly placed her in his hands, and 'comforted' the frail beast in her terrified last moments. She believed that he, instead of the hawk, was going to eat her. This was her passing."

Another tear dropped from the Lady's eyes.

"And, the story does not end there. For about every two weeks, another bird would hit his window and he would 'comfort' them and shield them from the so called villainous hawk that, like the small birds, was only searching for food. Body after body, and the Bird Feeder held them all. He made a show of crying out for each and every one. He did feel for them...

But his tears did not stop their deaths."

Student and Lady watched the world in silence. It was necessary after so sad a tale.

At length, the Lady asked, "Now, my question to you is this. Was the Bird Feeder right to feed the birds? They do have hard lives."

The Student pondered, then answered, "No."

"Why?"

"Because, if he hadn't fed the birds, they would not smash into his window. He has power over them, they are but innocent animals. He's using them selfishly, to entertain the Audience. Their deaths are on his hands, in both symbol and action."

The Lady could tell that the Student had more to say, so she waited. The Student lingered, formulating her next thoughts, then persisted, "If one listens to nature, one knows that the birds find food regardless of if we put it out for them. His feeding them was needless and he never once stopped to consider this. Yes, the birds have hard lives. But, he was creating additional pain for them."

The Lady of the Void smiled sadly. "You have learned well. Indeed, the further suffering and death of the birds could have been avoided if the man never fed them."

The Student continued, "It was evil of him to think himself a hero after he caused their deaths. It was also... Hm, I'm not certain evil is the right word to describe this next thought. But the hawk is innocent, too. It's only a beast. It was wrong of the Bird Feeder to deprive the hawk of his share."

"Indeed. Dearest Student, we live in a terrible world. This is how many people think. They believe they are doing a good thing by creating stories. They'll victimize and villainize the innocent. Those of us who have seen the truth know that the greater evil is always the pen and paper."

The Student nodded. The wind blew gently and a flock of birds passed overhead.

"That is your lesson for today," the Lady of the Void said.

"Thank you, Teacher," the Student said as she rose from the steps of the ruin. "I must go home. Will I see you tomorrow?"

"Most likely. May your agonies be voided."

"And may yours," the Student bowed, and turned away.

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By Adaline Guerra