Story The Disguised Parrots: adaptation of the ancient legend of Ecuador.
Legend has it that many years ago there was a terrible flood that flooded the lands of Ecuador.
The waters devastated fields and towns in their path, forcing people and animals to desperately seek shelter.
Apparently, two siblings lived in a valley, a boy and a girl. When they saw that the current was reaching them, they ran to protect themselves on the top of a mountain. There, in the heights, they found a dry and comfortable cave that became their improvised refuge until the danger passed.
Once inside, they huddled together to keep warm and watched in amazement as the rivers of water rose up the mountain at great speed. More than rivers they looked like long, gigantic snakes crawling dangerously towards the summit.
They felt real panic when they saw that at any moment the overflowing water could reach them, but luckily, the mountain was magical! As if it had a life of its own, when the water was about to overflow the cave, the summit rose towards the sky. Not once but several times the mountain grew as it pleased to bring them to safety and the brothers stopped being afraid.
Of course, they had to face another serious problem: as the hours passed they became hungrier and hungrier. They were in a cave on the peak of a very high mountain surrounded by water, which was inconvenient because there was nowhere to look for food.
They lasted a long time without eating anything, and when they were about to faint, it stopped raining.
– Look, little sister! It seems that the storms and rains have come to an end, but everything around us is still flooded. Let’s see if the waters recede soon and we can return home.
– Yes, but in the meantime, what will we eat?… We haven’t put anything in our mouths for several days and I can’t take it anymore.
Her brother looked at her sadly and hugged her, because he had no solution for that.
– I’m sorry but we can only hope that the water disappears quickly so we can go down the mountain and look for something to eat.
They spent that night as always, close to each other so as not to get cold. At dawn, a ray of sunlight sneaked through the cave and woke up the girl. She opened her eyes and her heart started pounding.
– Brother, brother, look at this!
The young man was startled.
– Oh my God!… Pinch me in case I’m still dreaming!
They could not believe! Some stranger had sneaked into the cave while they were sleeping and had placed a pile of plates overflowing with appetizing food on a tablecloth made of leaves. Meat, ears of corn, fresh fruit… They had never imagined being able to have such a feast in that horrible situation!
They pounced on the food like hungry wolves and began to devour them. They ate until they were bursting at the seams and then lay on their backs, hands outstretched, grinning from ear to ear.
– It was the best meal of my life, little sister!
– Oh, how delicious everything was! I wonder who brought it… Maybe someone watching us?
– I have no idea. This is all very strange!
– Yes it is. Tonight we will stay up in case she comes back and thank her.
They waited impatiently for the day to end and the full moon to appear high in the sky. Then they crouched behind a rock in the cave and, protected by darkness, waited for the visit of the mysterious benefactor.
Suddenly they heard strange noises and five macaws disguised as humans emerged from the shadows.
The vision was shocking to them! The ones who had left them the food were five parrots that were covered in people’s clothes!… And they returned loaded with more food!
Stupefied, they came out of their hiding place to thank them, but when they were close, they began to burst out laughing. They looked so funny and bizarre that it was impossible to stop laughing!
– Ha ha ha! But what are these macaws doing dressed like that?!
– If Hahaha! In my life I have seen something like this! It looks like they’re coming from a costume party or something like that.
Hearing the taunts, the macaws felt very offended. Without saying a word they looked into each other’s eyes and flew away in the blink of an eye.
The boys ran towards the entrance of the cave and began to scream with tears in their eyes.
– Oh, no, please don’t go! We are very sorry to have upset you!
– Please come back! You saved our lives and we thank you very much. I beg you, forgive us!
The macaws were already flying through the sky very close to the clouds when the wind carried the brothers’ inconsolable crying to them. They couldn’t help but feel very sorry for them and since they were kind-hearted animals, they did a small pirouette in the air and returned to the mountain cave.
– Thanks for coming back, friends! We have been very inconsiderate towards you and we promise that it will not happen again.
– My brother is right… It won’t happen again!
The macaws felt valued and knew how to forgive. From then on they began to go to the cave every day, always disguised as people, loaded with food that the boys gobbled up with real pleasure.
Time passed and the level of water that covered everything decreased little by little. The sun, increasingly brighter and more intense, helped dry the land and restore the landscape to its former splendor.
Finally, one morning the two brothers discovered that the rivers had returned to their course and the mountainside was once again in sight. Not a trace of the flood remained!
They waited for the birds to come visit them and the boy announced to them with emotion:
– It’s time for us to return home and resume our lives. We are going to miss you very much… Without you we would not have been able to survive!
His sister was also moved.
– I wish you could come with us to the town, dear macaws!
They said goodbye to the generous animals with tears in their eyes and began to descend the mountain where they had spent so many days.
They walked for a few minutes down the hill and looked back melancholy. Their surprise was enormous when they saw that the five macaws were following them like lapdogs!
The boy exclaimed excitedly:
– Look, sister, your wish has come true… They are coming with us!
The two continued happily with the small entourage behind them, and when they reached their village, oh, surprise!…The macaws transformed into real human beings. Without a doubt, like the mountain, they were also magical beings!
According to this ancient legend, the parrots were actually gods of the jungle who, tired of disguising themselves as people, decided to follow the brothers to the town and adopt real human form to live among men and women of flesh and blood.
And legend also says that they integrated very well with their new neighbors, formed couples and had children who inherited the beauty and powers of their ancestors, the beautiful macaws.