In & Out of Cage..

We were walking past a row of shops. Some noises nearby caught our attention. The noises were distinctly that made by birds, many different birds chirping away.

Yes, I am using “noises” (and not music or songs) to describe the sounds made by those birds. I am not trying to be rude or crude. Firstly, I don’t think the birds were singing merrily. Secondly, the sounds were not harmonious in any sense.

We went over to take a closer look. It was a bird shop (a shop specialized in selling birds). There were many birds all well caged. There were even hornbills and different kinds of parrot/ parakeet. The bigger parrots were not caged, but one of their legs was chained to the rod they were standing upon.

In some cages, we witnessed the squeezy living-condition. The small birds within seemed to be fighting for more space. Some were obviously literally fighting.

Naturally, how can the sound made by them (under such conditions) be harmonious? How can the sound made by them (under such conditions) be pleasant to the ears?

Me : I think they are screaming to be freed.
M* : 你又不是鸟儿，你又如何知道？

Me : You are not me. How would you know I don’t understand the birds?
M* :你少来这一套了。除非你是鸟人。哈哈。

Me : I felt an urge to just buy as many birds as possible with whatever amount of money I have now and then set them free.
M* : 这样的做法，好像也不错。能放多少是多少。可是你认为这些鸟儿在笼外真的会过的比较好吗？

Me : I think I am quite sure of that.
M* : 你看看眼前这一幕。

I was lead to witness an interesting scene.

Many cages were placed outside the stall. Many small wild birds (birds not caged) flew near the cages. They were not there to say hello or to say how sorry they felt to see their comrades being caged. Those freed birds were busy pecking away at the spilled food around the cages. They seemed so hungry and were oblivious of the people walking around.

I raised my head to take a look around. There weren’t many tall trees in the region. And I think even a small forest wasn’t that nearby.

I started thinking :

- Will those caged birds get used to the environment outside whereby they have to source food for themselves? But I think in time, they will learn.

- With so many freed birds risking their lifes to come near those caged birds to source for food, does that imply the sources of food out there is so limited?

- - - - -

M* 那么一提，我倒是没有把握这些在笼里的鸟儿如果被我释放了，它们在笼外会过得比较好。因为那么多的笼外之鸟都要冒险飞来笼子旁边争食。

笼内的鸟好羡慕笼外的鸟有自由。
笼外的鸟好羡慕笼内的鸟有温饱。

我 ...