Hello, hello and welcome to Story Nouri.

You're listening to Jana and I'm back with an Indian tale from the Panchatantra,

The tiny birds and the mighty sea. This story is dedicated to Nithya, Adash and their cousins from India,

Keithan and Karunya who generously support Stori Nori.

Along by the shimmering seashore lived a pair of Thidiba birds.

This humble couple was small, sprightly birds, no bigger than a child's hand, with feathers the colour of autumn leaves.

All day long they loved to hear the sea, singing her endless song, as her waves washed over the sand with a long, deep

whoosh, whoosh. Now the mother bird was expecting and needed to find a space to lay her eggs.

She hopped around nervously, leaving little claw marks in the sand.

Dear husband, she said.

It is time for me to lay the eggs.

Find us a safe spot, away from the water, mind you.

The father bird puffed up his chest spread his wings

dramatically and spoke in his most convincing tone my dearest look around this

shore is perfect the warm sand the soothing breeze and the rhythmic waves.

What better cradle for our children.

And what better lullaby than the sound of the sea.

She narrowed her eyes.

That is your idea of a cradle?

The sea is arrogant for a reason.

It is vast.

It is deep and very powerful.

...