Siddhartha and the Swan

When Prince Siddhartha (the future Buddha) was a young boy, he was walking in the palace gardens. Suddenly, a beautiful white swan fell from the sky, a cruel arrow piercing its wing.

Siddhartha ran to the bird, gently pulled out the arrow, and applied soothing herbs to the wound. He held the trembling bird to his chest to calm it. Moments later, his arrogant cousin, Devadatta, arrived holding a bow.

"Give me that bird!" Devadatta demanded. "I shot it down; it belongs to me." Siddhartha calmly refused, replying, "You brought it pain. I am bringing it healing. It does not belong to you."

The argument could not be settled, so the boys brought the matter before the King's court. Devadatta argued, "By the law of the Kshatriyas (warriors), whatever falls to my arrow is my property."

The ministers were confused, as Devadatta's claim followed the traditional law of hunting. However, an old, wise sage in the court spoke up: "A life belongs to the one who tries to save it, not to the one who tries to destroy it."

The court agreed, and the swan was given to Siddhartha. He cared for it until its wing healed, and then set it free into the sky, establishing early on the path of Ahimsa (non-violence) and compassion.