Magpie and the Rose Chafer
Magpie and the Rose Chafer
In the animal kingdom, a wedding was held. A young dove was marrying a beautiful gray dove. All the
animals from the surroundings were invited.
With some apprehension, they also invited the magpie. Everyone knew about her notorious reputation.
"She steals whatever she can," stated the old frog.
And he was right. His prophecy came true.
When the wedding feast was in full swing, the magpie took advantage of the general chaos. In an unguarded
moment, she subtly slipped a coffee spoon and a small glass cup into her pocket. She walked around the
feast table and snatched a porcelain sugar bowl, placing it into her leather handbag.
She thought no one saw her.
Unbeknownst to her, a woodpecker, a wolf, and a polecat were watching from afar.
At that moment, they thought they should not tolerate such a misdeed. On the other hand, they did not
want to spoil the general good mood with hasty action.
The three observers reported everything to the other animals.
"We can overlook a few pieces," said the blue owl.
"I know these are not valuable items. It is mainly a matter of principle," insisted the horse.
"Someone should tell her to her face! Such behavior is unacceptable in decent society! Absolutely
intolerable!" said the lizard.
"Absolutely true," agreed the badger.
"We must speak openly to the magpie. The question is, who will undertake this unpleasant task?" sighed
the black cat.
Apparently, no one wanted to deal with this delicate matter. Everyone felt embarrassed.
However, the noble peacock was clear: "The honorable rose chafer present here should intervene. He is
honest, truthful, non-confrontational, and also a good speaker. That is why he has such a grand name –
golden rose chafer. In Latin Cetonia aurata."
"Me?" the beetle was surprised.
"Yes. You are our best choice! No one else is suitable to handle the whole event discreetly," said the respected bird.
"Well then, I will take on the task. But I do not guarantee the outcome!" said the proposed candidate.
"Excellent! Great! I knew we could count on you," cheered the clothes moth.
The rose chafer immediately went to the magpie. She was sitting in the corner of the room, drinking coffee.
"Sorry to disturb you in such a holy activity. I have an unpleasant issue on my mind."
The magpie perked up. The arrival of the insect representative surprised her.
The rose chafer started right away: "I will get to the point so we don't waste time. Today, you were seen
unlawfully handling certain items. I do not want to say outright that you were stealing. I won't search your
pockets. I know well that you have a spoon, a cup, and a sugar bowl in your handbag."
The accusation unsettled the magpie. At first, she blushed with shame and then burst into tears.
"Poor me! Unhappy me! I can't help what I did! My antisocial behavior originates in genes I inadvertently
inherited from my ancestors."
The rose chafer listened attentively.
Then he said, "Colleague, let's not make a big deal out of it. Simply put, you will return the items."
The bird nodded in agreement.
"For next time, whenever there will be an event, you will come with sewn-up pockets and without personal
accessories. This preventive measure ensures that nothing will be lost during public gatherings. Do you
agree with that?"
The black and white bird nodded.
"I'm glad we agreed," said the golden beetle.
Then he left.
The animals impatiently awaited his return.
"So? How did it go?" the attendees asked.
The rose chafer told them everything truthfully.
"I knew you wouldn't disappoint!" cackled the cuckoo.
Suddenly, everything was settled.
The good mood returned all around. The wedding guests joyfully celebrated and enjoyed the festive
atmosphere to the fullest.
From that day on, no one had to worry about any faux pas from the magpie.
Translated into English by artificial intelligence.
First published: https://firesnake.eu