Once upon a time, three great kings from the farthest regions of the world traveled across the desert on a momentous mission. On the shoulder of the great Eastern King Balthazar, there rested a stately parrot named Greenfeathers. This parrot had the most brilliant emerald-green feathers of any parrot ever seen before. Greenfeathers was totally wrapped up in his own magnificent beauty – he had never seen any other bird as beautiful as himself. Greenfeathers gloried in the admiration others gave him; people considered him unequal in beauty among other birds.
The wise king, on whose shoulders Greenfeathers traveled, had been on a journey across the blistering desert in order to observe the birth of a new king that the stars had foretold. Greenfeathers was excited for he would meet a new audience to applaud his beauty in the court of this new king. Nothing excited Greenfeathers more than adoration of his treasured feathers by new admirers.
They traveled for days upon days and finally arrived at the destination they had so tirelessly sought. A large star hung in the sky to mark the location of the birth of this new king. The camels upon which they rode stopped outside a dull brown wooden stable, which confused Greenfeathers. Wise King Balthazar, followed by the Kings Caspar and Melchior, passed through the door of the stable; each wise man carried a gift for the newborn king. Radiant light from the star that marked the location shone down through a hole in the ceiling, illuminating the child and his family. The visiting kings marveled at the child and stood in reverence, as did others within the stable, even the animals.
How can this be a king, Greenfeathers asked himself. Greenfeathers could only wonder how important this king was if he was lying there in a feed trough, a manger! He was covered in poor quality cloth not fine satin or silk. The smell inside the building was that of hay, manure, and animals, very unlike the perfumed, flowery rooms in which Greenfeathers himself usually resided. Greenfeathers was embarrassed that Balthazar had brought him into such a filthy space.
The desert wind blew heat onto the stable, making it stifling hot within the building. The gathered group added to the rising heat inside. Goats opened the doors and then propped themselves in front of them to keep them open, allowing the heat to escape. Donkeys rested their heads against the stable’s window shutters to keep them open to allow a slight breeze to waft through the building.
Greenfeathers heard a mumbling among the other birds – the chickens, the doves, the barn owls, the pigeons, and the geese. They had all decided to pluck feathers from their own tails in order to create the gift of a fan to help cool the small child.
“Will you give two of your tail feathers that we may make a fan for the child? A cooling breeze from the fan will comfort the child who will someday comfort the world. May we ask for your share?” cooed a small gray dove to Greenfeathers.
Greenfeathers was shocked. He could not believe that a common dove asked him to make a donation of his royal emerald-green tail feathers.
“How dare you ask me to make such a valuable donation!” squawked Greenfeathers. “Why am I asked to make such a generous and valuable donation when the feathers from you common birds will suffice? My feathers are too precious. This poor little king will have to be cooled by a fan made from the feathers of poor birds. I see no need to share my riches.” Then he flew into the highest rafters to get away from the cackling flocks begging for his contribution. “How dare they! That they would consider me willing to sacrifice for such a thing is just shocking. I am so above all this!” he shouted down to them. He decided to settle down for a nap until this episode was all over and he could return to the luxurious palace in the East.
When he awoke, Greenfeathers discovered that King Balthazar had left him behind. The king had mistakenly thought that Greenfeathers had flown away, because Greenfeathers had never left his shoulder before while on their travels. In a panic, Greenfeathers flew about trying to locate King Balthazar, but it was hopeless. Greenfeathers tried to follow the camel trail back into the desert; but desert winds blew sand in the camel prints, hiding them from the parrot’s eyes. The harsh sun beat down upon the vivid green feathers; the dry desert air blew between his feathers causing a great thirst. Greenfeathers found himself going deeper and deeper into the sandy land without ever spotting King Balthazar and the others.
Eventually, Greenfeathers came across an oasis filled with sweet dates and cool water. He was completely worn out from the harsh environment of the desert; he needed food and water in order to replenish himself and continue his search. After filling up on sweet fruit and water, Greenfeathers caught his reflection in a pool of water and was shocked at what he saw. His magnificently shiny green feathers had taken on a dull greenish brown cast from exposure to the harsh biting rays of the desert sun and the curling hot air of the desert wind. Greenfeathers cried in despair that his beauty had left him. He squawked sorrowful tones that shook the leaves of the date palms. He begged for help to return the glory of his treasured feathers, but there was no one to hear his pleas. He was abandoned and alone. His feathers never recovered and stayed a dull greenish brown for the rest of his life. Greenfeathers hid himself deep inside the oasis with only the memories of his once glorious vivid green feathers and nothing else.
