The Tale of the Bird King: How Tink-Tinkje Outsmarted the Vulture

The birds wanted a king. Men have a king, animals have a king—so why shouldn’t they? All the birds assembled to decide.

“The Ostrich, because he is the largest,” one called out.

“No, he can’t fly.”

“Eagle, on account of his strength.”

“Not him—he is too ugly.”

“Vulture, because he can fly the highest.”

“No, Vulture is too dirty, and his odor is terrible.”

“Peacock, he is so beautiful.”

“His feet are too ugly, and his voice is dreadful.”

“Owl, because he can see well.”

“No, Owl is ashamed of the light.”

And so they got no further. Then one bird shouted aloud, “He who can fly the highest will be king!”

“Yes, yes!” they all screamed, and at a given signal, they ascended straight up into the sky.

Vulture flew for three whole days without stopping, straight toward the sun. Then he cried aloud, “I am the highest! I am king!”

“T-sie, t-sie, t-sie,” he suddenly heard above him. There was Tink-Tinkje, the tiny bird, flying higher still. He had clung secretly to one of the Vulture’s great wing feathers, unnoticed because he was so light.

“I am the highest! I am king!” piped Tink-Tinkje.

The Vulture flew on another day, climbing higher. “I am the highest! I am king!” he called.

“T-sie, t-sie, t-sie,” mocked the little fellow again from above.

On the fifth day, Vulture strained himself, rising higher than ever. “I am the highest! I am king!” he shouted desperately.

But again, Tink-Tinkje’s voice rang clear: “I am the highest! I am king!”

Exhausted, the Vulture finally gave up and descended to earth. When the other birds learned of Tink-Tinkje’s trick, they were furious. “He must die for cheating!” they cried. All of them chased him, and Tink-Tinkje only escaped by darting into a mouse hole.

“How will we catch him?” the birds asked. “Someone must stand guard and seize him the moment he comes out.”

“Owl must keep guard,” they decided. “He has the largest eyes; he can see best.”

Owl took his position before the hole. But the warm sun soon made him drowsy, and before long, he was fast asleep.

Tink-Tinkje peeped out, saw that Owl was snoring, and z-zip—he was gone! When the other birds returned, they found the hole empty. Suddenly, they heard his cheeky cry from a nearby tree: “T-sie, t-sie, t-sie!”

White-crow, disgusted beyond words, snapped, “I won’t speak another word ever again!” And from that day to this, White-crow has never spoken. Even if struck, he makes no sound, no cry.