Not that long ago, there was a forest

where you could hear the birds singing,

the tigers growling far away, and the insects trilling.

Then human beings began to capture

the creatures of the forest.

The creature they wanted most was the songbird

because its song was so beautiful.

There was a little boy called Duba,

who loved listening to the mysterious noises

of the forest.

As he went to sleep at night he imagined the turtles tell one

another stories, the birds in singing competitions,

the tigers talking to the moon.

This helped him sleep well at night.

On Duba's birthday his parents gave him a songbird.

It came in a big cage.

He was grateful for it.

He'd never had a pet before.

He grew very attached to the songbird.

He was only really happy when it was singing.

But sometimes when the bird sang,

he was so moved that he would start crying.

And because of this Duba wanted to know

what it was singing about.

He asked everyone he met if they knew.

His parents didn't know.

The elders couldn't tell him either.

Then one day he met a wise old woman.

Oh, wise woman, do you know what the songbird is saying,

he asked?

That songbird is wiser than me, said the wise woman.

Why do you say that?

Because it's song made you ask many questions.

How can I find out what it's saying?

Since that bird is wiser than me, you should ask it.

How?

I don't speak its language.

I won't understand what it says.

How do you know?

I've tried.

Ask the question in a different way.

How?

You'll know when the time comes.

I hope so.

You should listen in a different way, too.

How should I do that?

You should listen with more than your ears.

What else should I listen with then if not my ears?

Perhaps, said the wise old woman,

you should listen with your heart.

When Duba got home, he forgot to listen to the bird song

because he was thinking about how

he could listen with his heart.

That night tossing and turning, he slept very badly.

He was aware that something that made his sleep lovely

was missing.

He fell asleep just before dawn.

And he had a dream.

In his dream, the songbird spoke to him.

Do you want to know why my song is so beautiful?

Yes.

Do you want to know what I'm singing about?

Yes.

No one could tell me.

I'm the only one who can tell you.

But you have to ask the right question.

You have to listen with your heart.

Did I ask the right question?

Yes.

How?

You asked it with your soul.

You asked it from the part of you that really cared.

But what's the answer?

Have you noticed anything different about the world?

No, what's different?

Have you noticed that something is missing?

Yes, but I don't know what it is.

No one does.

What is it?

The forest is silent.

Is it?

Why?

Because people have been treating the animals and birds

badly.

Do they?

Yes.

Take me for example.

Do you think I'm happy?

You must be.

Your songs are so beautiful.

That's because I'm unhappy.

My songs are telling of the terrible things people

are doing to the forest, the pangolins,

the beautiful birds, the tigers.

Because people are not protecting them,

the forest is silent.

Really?

Yes, the forest is dying.

What can I do?

Listen with your heart.

I like having you as a pet.

I know.

But I don't like being a pet.

I'm made to be free.

My song is beautiful in your cage.

But you should hear me sing when I am free.

What's it like?

Then, it's as if all nature is singing -

the sea, the sky, the trees, the majestic creatures.

It's as if God is singing through me.

My song when I'm free is a million times richer

than my song in a cage.

The only song I sing in a cage is

a song of tears, the song of the silent forest.

I'm so sorry.

If you're really sorry, you'd do something for me.

What's that?

Wake up.

Duba woke up suddenly.

It was still dark.

He listened.

It was true.

The forest was still and silent.

He didn't hear the tigers or the insect noises.

He went to the cage.

The songbird was silent.

Nothing he did would make the songbird sing.

Then he realised that the songbird would not sing

anymore.

He woke up his mother and father.

They were surprised that he was waking them up.

Mum and dad, he said, we have done

the songbird a terrible wrong.

We have taken it from its home in the forest.

And now it will not sing.

Because of the songbird, the forest is silent.

Have you not noticed?

His mother and father listened.

You're right, they said.

The forest is silent.

How is it we never noticed?

We have to help our forest live again, said the boy.

First, we must carefully return the songbird to its home.

Then, we must protect the creatures of the world,

or one day we too will fall silent.

How do you know these things, asked the father?

I just started to listen, he said, with my heart.