As the wind whirled by, a hummingbird appeared before the nomad as they made their way through the wasteland.
“Will you listen to my song, Nomad?”
“I’m in a hurry. Ask someone else.”
But the hummingbird just wouldn’t give up and pursued the nomad.
“Please. I must sing my song.”
“You’re rather selfish. Sorry, but I’m just not in the mood. I’m on a journey to die.”
“But that’s ridiculous, who goes on a journey to die?”
“It’s the truth. Why would I bother lying before I die?”
But the hummingbird refused to give up.
“Then how about this? If I can make you lie, listen to my song. If I fail to do so, I will say no more.”
Wanting to be freed from the persistent pest, the nomad agreed.
“Why do you want to die?”
“Because I lost everything.”
“That’s a lie.”
“But it’s not a lie. I lost my home, my fortune… and my family died from illness. I’ve got nothing left.”
“No. You still have eyes to see me and ears to hear my song. You even have a mouth to speak to me.”
“Yes, you’re right.”
Though they felt that they had been duped, the nomad admitted defeat.
“All right, I lose.”
The nomad didn’t want any more trouble and stopped to hear the hummingbird’s song. The voice was so beautiful, that it filled the nomad’s empty heart with a gentle warmth just for a moment. After it had finished its song, the hummingbird flew towards the ray of sunlight that was peeking through the clouds.
-
Sizzle, Sizzle. Around the time the harsh sun rose up into the sky and shone upon the land, the hummingbird appeared before the nomad again, who was exhausted from walking.
“Nomad, please listen to my song one more time.”
No matter how hard the nomad tried to shoo the bird away, it refused to leave his side.
“If I can get you to lie again, will you listen to my song once more?”
“I already told you, I’m on this journey to die. I have no reason to lie anymore.”
The frustrated nomad was sure he could win this time and agreed to the hummingbird’s terms.
“Why do you want to die?”
“I may have the eyes to see you, ears to hear your song, and a mouth to speak to you, but I’ve lost everything else.”
And then the hummingbird replied.
“No. You also have the hands to shoo me away and the legs to take you on this journey.”
“Yes, you are right. You win again.”
And so, the nomad listened to the hummingbird’s song once more. This song was even more beautiful than the last and the nomad felt solace in his heart. The hummingbird seemed satisfied as it finished its song and then flew off into the wind.
-
Just around the time the sun began to fall and dyed the earth red, the nomad continued on his journey and found the hummingbird dying. He could have just walked by, but the nomad stopped and spoke to the hummingbird.
“Say, Hummingbird. I may have the eyes to see you, ears to hear your song, a mouth to speak to you, the hands to shoo you away, and the legs to take me on this journey, but I’ve lost everything else.”
“I truly have nothing else.”
And then the dying hummingbird replied in a faint voice.
“That is a lie. You have the past to regret, a present you can choose, and an undetermined future. To a soul that is dying like me, you still have everything left in this world.”
“Yes, you are right. You win again.”
“Now, sing for me.”
The nomad sat down next to the bird, awaiting its song, but he doesn’t hear a thing. The hummingbird had already passed on.
The nomad buried the hummingbird on the side of the road and sung the hummingbird’s song as if to mourn its loss. He found that singing that song eased his soul and he continued to walk as he sang. Eventually, he had finally reached the ocean. The nomad asked the quiet ocean as it reflected the starry sky.
“I am a nomad who walked a long way to get here. Could you grant me my wish?”
The ocean splashed a small wave and replied,
“Those who come here with wishes ask for the same things. Either money, fame, or death. Which do you desire?”
Then the nomad replied with a beaming face,
“I once had everything, so I desire none of those things. I just want to be shown the way back home.”