THE LEGEND

THE THORNBIRDS by Colleen McCullough

There is a legend about a bird which sings just once in its life

More sweetly than any other creature on the face of the earth

From the moment it leaves its nest it searches for a thorn tree and does not rest until it has found one.

Singing among the savage branches, it impales itself upon the longest, sharpest spine.

Then, dying, it rises above its own agony to outcarol the lark and the nightingale.

One superlative song, existence the price.

But the whole world stills to listen and God in His heaven smiles

For the best is only bought at the cost of great pain.

Or so says the legend