Once upon a time, a baby eagle lived in a nest on a cliff overlooking a beautiful valley. The nest was his entire world—warm, comfortable, and safe. His mother provided him with food, love, and care. She would swoop down daily to feed him delicious morsels. To him, she was like a god.
The eaglet grew strong and sharp-sighted, always feeling content. But one day, his mother stopped coming. The baby eagle grew hungry and desperate, crying out in fear, convinced he would die.
Eventually, his mother reappeared at the cliff's edge with food but refused to bring it to him. "Come and get it," she said before flying away. The eaglet cried in anger and despair.
Days later, as he lamented his fate, his mother returned with what she called his "last meal." After he ate and complained about her cruelty, she pushed him out of the nest.
He fell headfirst, picking up speed, screaming that he was dying. As the ground rushed toward him, he braced for the end.
Then, something strange happened. The air caught under his wings, snapping them open. Suddenly, he was no longer falling—he was soaring, his eyes pointed at the sun.
"You're flying," his mother said.
"This is fun!" laughed the baby eagle as he soared, dived, and swooped through the sky.
"Yes, it is," replied his mother.