"Where did you get those birds?" he asked.
"Oh, all over the place," the man replied. "I lure them with crumbs,
pretend I'm their friend then when they are close, I net them and
shove them into my cage."
"And what are you going to do with them now?"
The man grinned, "I'm going to prod them with sticks, and get them
really mad so they fight and kill each other. Those that survive,
I will kill. None will escape."
The boy looked steadily at the man. What made him do such things?
He looked into the cruel, hard eyes. and then at the defenseless birds.
"Can I buy those birds?" the boy asked, suddenly.
The man hid a smile, aware that he could be on to a good thing if he
played his cards right.
"Well," he said hesitantly, "The cage is pretty expensive,
and I spent a lot of time collecting these birds, I'll tell you what
I'll do, I'll let you have the lot, birds, cage and all for ten pounds
and that jacket you're wearing."
The boy paused, ten pounds was all he had, and the jacket was new
and very special, in fact it was his prized possession. Slowly, he
took out the ten pounds and handed it over, then even more slowly he took
off his jacket, gave it one last look then handed that over too.
The man snickered as he snatched the boys' money and jacket,
then he shoved the cage into the boys arms, and ran off.
The boy quickly opened the door of the cage, and let the birds go free...
alx