Cherished Memories of Africa — Page 78
60 that a seal had been set on the hearts and thick coverings had been cast over the eyes of their elders as a result of intrigues of the fake spiritual guides and deceitful marabouts – the cancers of their society. Story goes: A wise, sympathetic and kind young man was passing through a market. He noticed a cage on an elevated place with many pigeons helplessly fluttering in it. He took pity on these imprisoned pigeons. He thought of trying for freedom of the poor birds that they may enjoy breath of fresh air in the vast space created by God. He approached the master of the birds and enquired about the price only to learn that he could not afford to buy them all. He thought of buying as many as he could afford. That he did and got some pigeons. Greatly excited he threw them up in the air. The pigeons flew away fast acrobatically, twisting and turning right and left, up and down and out of sight. The young man was happy in that he had the good fortune of being instrumental in gaining freedom for some imprisoned birds. He was relishing his success while standing there. Before leaving he looked up the sky to have a glimpse of the free birds for the last time. But, Lo and behold! The birds were coming back. One by one they came and perched on the same roof and after a while entered their cage and thus enslaved themselves. The poor young man was greatly perturbed as to why the birds had turned back from free skies to enslavement. After some deliberation, the dilemma was solved when he realized that they had become accustomed to enslavement so much that they feared freedom and enslavement had finished their instinct in freedom.