Library / Fantastic Fables

The Man and the Bird

A fable by Ambrose Bierce

Lesson planWorksheet

A hunter shoots a bird dead.

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The Man and the Bird

A Man with a Shotgun said to a Bird:

"It is all nonsense, you know, about shooting being a cruel sport. I put my skill against your cunning-that is all there is of it. It is a fair game."

"True," said the Bird, "but I don't wish to play."

"Why not?" inquired the Man with a Shotgun.

"The game," the Bird replied, "is fair as you say; the chances are about even; but consider the stake. I am in it for you, but what is there in it for me?"

Not being prepared with an answer to the question, the Man with a Shotgun sagaciously removed the propounder.

What is he mocking?
Hunters who call shooting a fair sport when the animal risks its life for nothing.

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Discussion questions

  1. What does fairness mean in the context of competition?
  2. How do the stakes involved affect our perception of a game or contest?
  3. Can you think of a situation where the odds were not in your favor? How did it make you feel?

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Good night.

Tomorrow night: The Traveler and Fortune