A Chicken or A Duck

Since someone has mentioned about the chicken and duck story, I might as well post it for the benefit of all. It’s also from Ajahn Brahm but now told in my style because I don’t have his book with me! XD

Once, there was an old loving couple who went on a nature walk together, they have been married for a long long time. Anyone who sees these two together will know what it means to be truly, deeply in love with each other. They make an effort to find time for each other, doing things together, fostering greater understanding and love with every moment they spent together. Even after all these years, they look each other in the eyes like newly weds. (My writing addiction seems to have started…haha!)

Anyway, one Sunday, while they were enjoying the nice sunny weather at a nature park, they heard a sound, “quack…quack…quack, quack.” The husband said to the wife, “Ah…the sound of a duck!” The wife turned around and stared at him, “What duck? That was a chicken!” The husband was so astonished, he replied “My dear, that obviously was the sound of a duck!” His wife could not believe her ears. “Honey, now don’t be silly! It was the sound of a chicken, anyone would have recognised that was a chicken!”

The husband stopped in his tracks, looked at his wife quizzically and asked, “Darling, is there something wrong with your ears today? We just heard the duck went ‘quack, quack‘. How can that be the sound of a chicken?” His wife was getting impatient with this nonsense and said, “Dear, there’s nothing wrong with my ears and I am absolutely certain the ‘quacking’ sound was from a chicken!”

Our old couple kept arguing and arguing about the sound they heard, both insisting that they’ve got perfect hearing so they can’t possibly be wrong! As they both argued until 面紅耳赤 (flushed or red in the face), the husband suddenly stopped. He saw anger and frustration on the face of his wife which he had never seen before. His heart went soft…his face muscles relaxed…his frown was gone. He looked deeply into his wife’s eyes and said to her, “My darling, I am so sorry. That was indeed a chicken we heard. My mistake and I’m sorry it has made you so upset! Will you forgive me?”

His wife’s face immediately broke into a smile and she replied sweetly to him, “Honey, of course I forgive you. You know I love you, why would I be upset with a little mistake like that?” The husband smiled.

And then they heard the sound again, “quack, quack, quack…quack!” Yes, that was the sound of a chicken, a chicken indeed.

So you guys know the moral of the story? Why argue over the most mundane things in life. Whether the ‘quack’ or ‘chick’ sound, is it really that important to you? The chicken never asked to be called a chicken but we human decided to call it a chicken. A duck also did not asked to be called a duck but we didn’t care and just labelled it duck! It’s a sound after all!

So when we get into an argument with anyone, just look at them in their eyes and think of the love and care you have for them. Is it really so important for you to be right? The answer is no. Well, I just did something like that today. And I’m so proud of myself. I’m much much happier now.