Side Story (The Bird and The Snake)

In the warm tree hole, there were over a dozen dark green eggs that were the size of an adult's fist. The entrance of the tree hole was sealed with a thin layer of mud; the mud was also mixed with some hay.

Coo. Coo. From outside the tree hole, one could hear the unique call of the egg-thief bird, similar to the cooing of a widow that lived next door.

After ensuring there was no response to its call, the egg-thief bird was happy. It carefully reached its claws out toward the dry mud on the tree hole and gently started scraping. Soon, it had scraped a big hole in the front of the tree hole.

It sneakily peered through the big hole into the tree. Its eyes shone when it saw the eggs.

Coo. Coo. Coo… The exuberant call of the egg-thief bird could be heard from the rest of the woods.

Struggling into the tree hole, the sharp beak pecked an eggshell, and the thick yellow yolk flowed out.