The Battle of the Birds and the Beasts
A single grain of wheat sparks a quarrel between birds and beasts that swells into a ruinous war. Forests smoulder, rivers turn muddy, and everyone is left hungry… until a small sparrow asks, “Who has won?” This reflective fable invites children to think about sharing, pride, and kinder choices in their everyday lives.
This story was written and illustrated by real humans.
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Discuss the story with your child
Spark a conversation with your child and connect the story to real-life lessons.
Vocabulary
- Wildebeest
- A large, strong antelope that lives in Africa. In the story, it shows the strength of the beasts.
- Talons
- Sharp claws of birds like eagles and hawks. Birds use them to hunt and defend themselves.
- Stampede
- When a group of animals run quickly and heavily together. It makes the ground shake.
- Entangled
- All twisted or caught together. The forests were entangled with vines and plants.
- Asunder
- A poetic way to say “torn apart.” The land was ripped asunder by the great battle.
- Strategy
- A careful plan for winning a battle or solving a problem. The owls and falcons used strategy in the war.
- Polluted
- Made dirty or unsafe. The rivers became polluted with mud and bodies after the fighting.
Context
The Battle of the Birds is written like a fable, where animals act like people to teach a lesson. Birds and beasts become symbols of pride, strength, and division, while the single grain of wheat becomes a cause of conflict.
The exaggerated battle scenes, from stampeding elephants to flaring eagles, highlight the dangers of selfishness and war. The story’s language mixes poetic words such as “asunder” with vivid images of forests, rivers, and skies, making it both dramatic and memorable.
Children can reflect on how the animals’ choices led to destruction and learn about conflict resolution, sharing, and the value of peace. Reading it helps develop critical thinking while also offering practice in rich descriptive vocabulary.
Empathy, Feelings
- When the wheat is found, how do different animals feel: excited, angry, worried? What makes you think that?
- How do the birds’ and beasts’ feelings change as the fight gets bigger?
- At the end, how might the sparrow feel when it asks, “Who has won?”
Fairness, Sharing
- What are some fair ways the animals could have decided who gets the grain?
- Can you think of a time when you disagreed about sharing something small? What helped you solve it?
- If the wheat was planted, who would benefit? How is that different from keeping it?
Pride, Conflict Resolution
- The birds think they are better because they can fly; the beasts think they are better because they are strong. What is each side proud of? When is pride helpful or harmful?
- What smaller choices turned an argument into a war?
- Who acts as peacemakers or messengers in the story? What could they have done differently?
- If you could speak to both sides, what would you say to help them listen?
Independent Thinking
- List the changes to the world after the fighting (forests, rivers, animals). Which change is most serious and why?
- What do you think the animals learned? What would be a better plan for next time?
- Imagine a sequel: how could the birds and beasts repair the land together?
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Credits
This story was brought to life by these awesome real humans!
- Written by: Jade Maitre
- Illustrated by: Anthony E. Leah
- Music in video by “Ascending the Vale” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), “The Sky of our Ancestors” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), “Journey To Ascend” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), “Unholy Knight” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), “Send for the Horses” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com).. This music is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License.
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