P. V. Ramaswami Raju

The Sparrow and the Sea

A sparrow who lived by a pond, in a wood, said to his mate, "In this pond there is neither water nor fish enough; what if we go and live by the sea?"

His mate said, "Yes."

So they went to live by the sea. The sparrow put his bill into the sea, and drank. His mate, finding that he did not take in more water than at the pond, said, "A sparrow drinks more by going to the sea."

"Not so, my love," said the sparrow. "I would drink up the whole sea, but that it is brackish!"