Dazel swooped towards the Aviary School for Birds early Monday morning. As she caught a glimpse of the school gate, she was stunned to see the thrushes — Theo and his brother — waiting for her near the school entrance.

“Theo, what a pleasant surprise,” she exclaimed. “Did your mother finally agree to send you to school?”

Theo shook his head sadly, “I’m afraid not, Dazel.” The bird gulped as if gathering courage. “We…we have run away from home.”

Dazel gasped. “Theo! What are you saying?”

The thrush’s eyes filled with tears. “Dazel, you don’t understand. We are miserable without an education. What good is such an existence where all we have to do is wake up and hunt for food, fill our stomachs and then go back to bed? Is there any purpose to such a life?” Theo’s brother, Thomas, who was younger than him, nodded in agreement.

“We have deliberated over this for a long time, Dazel. We really want to come to school to learn. We have asked Mother many times but she doesn’t understand us. We don’t have a choice now but to run away.”

“Th…this is such a huge step,” Dazel stuttered. “We must consult Wiz Rooster.” Both the young thrushes nodded. They seemed scared yet determined. The trio flew to Wiz Rooster’s office. If the rooster was surprised to see the thrushes he did not express it.

“Welcome, my dears, to the Aviary School for Birds,” greeted the rooster with a kind smile.

Dazel hastily explained the story to the principal. The rooster listened carefully. “Well then, you both must join our youngest class. Let me ask one of my teachers to accompany you to your classroom. It’s a wonderful tree house on the topmost branches of an oak tree.” And with those words the rooster ushered the thrushes out of his office.

Dazel seemed stunned at the frenzied pace at which events were occurring. When the rooster returned to his office Dazel blurted out, “Sir, they have run away. Their mother has no idea that they are here. Where will they live? They can’t go back home now…” she cried in despair. “Dazel, please calm down. Sometimes in life you have to take tough decisions for a greater cause,” explained Wiz Rooster solemnly.

“But…but they disobeyed their mother. Isn’t that unforgiveable?” asked a perplexed Dazel. “Yes, disobedience of elders is not right but sometimes adults can be wrong too, Dazel,” justified the rooster. “But don’t worry. I think eventually their mother, Tyra, will see the light and compromise.” Just then, there was a pounding at the door of the rooster’s office. An enraged Tyra burst in. “Where are my sons? I have been searching high and low for them! When I woke up this morning they were not in the nest. They never leave home without my permission. That’s when I knew they must have been brainwashed by all your talk of the importance of school!” she shrieked.

“Please have a seat, Tyra,” was the only reaction Wiz Rooster had to Tyra’s outburst. “Now listen to me clearly. According to animal law, young ones are not under any force to stay with their parents. They can lead an independent life. You are depriving them of the basic right of education and they have taken a stand. You must accept that!”

“Never,” thundered Tyra. “I will not have them waste their time at school.”

“But I’m afraid they are now under my protection and you cannot take them away by force. My teachers and students outnumber you,” the rooster continued with composure. Tyra seemed at a loss for words. Turning her back she flew out of the office. “Whew!” sighed Dazel in relief.

“This is the beginning of our victory, my dear,” smiled the rooster, unfazed by the confrontation. That evening Wiz Rooster took the thrushes home with him. “You will be my guests until we find a way to give you other suitable accommodation. It is important for you to be near the school premises.” Theo and Thomas seemed grateful.

“I wish Mother could understand us and allow us to come to school like normal creatures. Then we would not have to impose on you like this for favours,” said Theo regretfully.

“Think nothing of it,” replied the rooster. “It makes me very happy to see you learn. How was your first day at school?”

“Oh, Sir! It was wonderful!” Thomas exclaimed. “We learnt about germination in Science and weather in Geography. I can’t wait till tomorrow. The teacher has promised to show us experiments.”

The rooster smiled warmly. “Sleep well my dears,” he said, and they all retired to bed.

At midnight there was a pecking at Wiz Rooster’s window. The rooster rubbed his eyes and squinted at the window pane. “Tyra?” he said drowsily. “Come in. I have been expecting you.”

The mother thrush’s eyes were filled with tears. “I can’t sleep without my young ones, Wiz,” said the thrush hoarsely. “You know we used to live at the lakeside with the other birds. One winter I fell sick and I couldn’t go to fetch food for them. Two whole days my babies starved of hunger. That was when I realised that I wanted them to be strong hunters. The only thing one needs to survive is food and shelter. That’s why I moved out to the harsh swamps. That’s why I am so strict with them.”

“I am sorry for your tough experience, Tyra. But education is very important. Just as food is fuel for the body, knowledge is fuel for the soul and the mind,” replied the rooster gently. “Life without knowledge is no life at all. This is why all the animals in D’Land have a school to go to — the Aviary School, the Aquatic School and the Terrestrial School.”

Tears were rolling down Tyra’s eyes. “Perhaps, I was blinded by my narrow-mindedness.”

“Theo and Thomas are so happy in school, Tyra. It will make them exultant to know that you now support them,” said Wiz Rooster with a smile.

“All I want is for them to be happy,” the thrush sniffed.

“Tomorrow I will take you to the Aviary School and you will see what a lively place it is,” offered the rooster.

“I would be honoured to accompany you,” replied Tyra with a slight smile.

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