Man lived in a quiet village nested in a valley surrounded by a deep forest.
One day, while tending his fields, he found a wounded animal, a bird far larger and more colorful than any he had ever seen.
The bird called itself Chook and explained that it was injured while fleeing from a fox. During the short time it took for it to heal, Man and Chook had become close friends. They spent many days working the fields and sharing stories, but sometimes Chook would wander into the forest for days, leaving Man to worry until it returned. Chook was a big heavy bird and would be of little challenge to the swift predators of the forest, but it was Chooks nature to range, not to settle down in the safety of the village.
After so long Man decided it would be best to reap his harvest and leave his village to go with Chook and live its nomadic lifestyle.
Things went well for Man and Chook for quite some time, but Man soon realized that the forest did not have enough to sustain him. He did not know anything about hunting and planting would take too much time. As the days wore on, his supply dwindled to nothing and he grew hungry and weak.
Chook could not help feeling at fault for Man's plight and searched relentlessly for food, but everyday would end in failure. After another fruitless search Chook stopped to drink at a river, there a curious fish surfaced and spoke to it. Chook told the fish of it's troubles, but luckily fish knew of a place far down the river with food fit for Man, but the trek would take 5 days.
They had no choice but to keep moving, but on the third night, Man collapsed just as dawn was breaking, he could not go on.
Chook was distraught, it did not know how to help it's friend and as the Sun peeked over the horizon, Chook opened its beak and called to it.
The Sun heard Chook's plea and answered, promising to give part of itself to Man through Chook only if Chook agreed to be split in two halves, one to call to Sun and the other to receive Sun's gift.
Chook agreed and Sun focused its rays through Chook's body, cleaving it into Rooster and Hen.
Hen quickly went to Man and laid three eggs.
Man could not believe that his friend Chook would do so much for him and gratefully accepted Hen's gift.
He was filled with new strength, but also with unease.
Man was certain that he could not part with Chook now, especially now that its become so small and in two bodies.
He spoke to them as one "Friend, you have saved my life, but I cannot continue this wandering life. It is my nature to settle, but I also cannot think to live without you by my side. You are a free creature and in choosing the forest you make all your own decisions and are free, but you are also at the mercy of flesh eaters, sickness, and hunger. If you choose to live with me, I will give you all that I have and you will not want for nothing."
Rooster and Hen replied "The forest is my home, but I could never be free in it again knowing you might die without me. I will go with you and keep calling to the sun and giving you its gift until I am spent then, if you must, consume me."
And so Man and Chook made their pact
One day, while tending his fields, he found a wounded animal, a bird far larger and more colorful than any he had ever seen.
The bird called itself Chook and explained that it was injured while fleeing from a fox. During the short time it took for it to heal, Man and Chook had become close friends. They spent many days working the fields and sharing stories, but sometimes Chook would wander into the forest for days, leaving Man to worry until it returned. Chook was a big heavy bird and would be of little challenge to the swift predators of the forest, but it was Chooks nature to range, not to settle down in the safety of the village.
After so long Man decided it would be best to reap his harvest and leave his village to go with Chook and live its nomadic lifestyle.
Things went well for Man and Chook for quite some time, but Man soon realized that the forest did not have enough to sustain him. He did not know anything about hunting and planting would take too much time. As the days wore on, his supply dwindled to nothing and he grew hungry and weak.
Chook could not help feeling at fault for Man's plight and searched relentlessly for food, but everyday would end in failure. After another fruitless search Chook stopped to drink at a river, there a curious fish surfaced and spoke to it. Chook told the fish of it's troubles, but luckily fish knew of a place far down the river with food fit for Man, but the trek would take 5 days.
They had no choice but to keep moving, but on the third night, Man collapsed just as dawn was breaking, he could not go on.
Chook was distraught, it did not know how to help it's friend and as the Sun peeked over the horizon, Chook opened its beak and called to it.
The Sun heard Chook's plea and answered, promising to give part of itself to Man through Chook only if Chook agreed to be split in two halves, one to call to Sun and the other to receive Sun's gift.
Chook agreed and Sun focused its rays through Chook's body, cleaving it into Rooster and Hen.
Hen quickly went to Man and laid three eggs.
Man could not believe that his friend Chook would do so much for him and gratefully accepted Hen's gift.
He was filled with new strength, but also with unease.
Man was certain that he could not part with Chook now, especially now that its become so small and in two bodies.
He spoke to them as one "Friend, you have saved my life, but I cannot continue this wandering life. It is my nature to settle, but I also cannot think to live without you by my side. You are a free creature and in choosing the forest you make all your own decisions and are free, but you are also at the mercy of flesh eaters, sickness, and hunger. If you choose to live with me, I will give you all that I have and you will not want for nothing."
Rooster and Hen replied "The forest is my home, but I could never be free in it again knowing you might die without me. I will go with you and keep calling to the sun and giving you its gift until I am spent then, if you must, consume me."
And so Man and Chook made their pact
